Subscribe
Follow Us
James Harden and the Brooklyn Nets got off to a sluggish start against the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. The Nets fell behind by as many as 12 points early in the second quarter and shot just 1-of-13 from 3-point range in the first half. Brooklyn ultimately found a groove and cruised to a 104-93 victory.
Harden had a rather interesting explanation for the Nets' slow start: the crowd. 14,391 fans were inside Barclays Center, the biggest crowd at an indoor event in New York since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While playing in front of the home fans usually helps rev up the players, Harden claimed it threw him off a bit to start.
“In that first half, shots just didn't go in,” Harden said. “Maybe I'm speaking for myself, but the crowd kind of just threw me off a little bit. It was pretty loud in there. The vibe was what we've been missing, and it just threw me off a little bit.
“That second half, we got more comfortable, and shots started to fall when we needed it to.”
After playing so many games in front of zero fans or digital fans, it probably is a bit jarring to once again play in front of big crowds again. NBA teams have steadily been increasing the amount of people allowed through the gates, but the jump to a massive crowd with playoff intensity is clearly a bit of a shock to the system, at least the way Harden tells it.
Harden shot just 5-of-13 overall and 2-of-8 from 3-point land in the win, but he still finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals for a terrific all-around game. Kevin Durant led the Nets with 32 points, while Kyrie Irving poured in 29.
We'll see if the Nets come out stronger in Game 2 on Tuesday.
