The Beard is back! James Harden made his much-awaited return for the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, helping them cruise to a 128-116 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Harden looked good coming off the bench, displaying the elite playmaking that made him one of the most unstoppable offensive weapons in NBA history (flopping propensity notwithstanding). His conditioning, one of the main concerns of Nets fans since his arrival, looked solid as well, although he only played 26 minutes.

After the game, coach Steve Nash admitted Harden, who came from a hamstring injury, will still be under minutes restriction with just a few games left in their regular season schedule. He, however, wants his superstar guard to find his rhythm soon but is also aware of the risks involved (via Brian Lewis of New York Post).

“There is importance in him finding his rhythm and his confidence and getting back to playing, and it’s difficult to do that without game time. These are the risks you have to take, and you take a deep breath. He’s done all the work and he’s cleared. He’s done his high-intensity loads and workouts and responded. People smarter than I would say this (is) safe.”

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Prior to his five-week absence, James Harden’s stats would show that he was playing at an MVP level for the Nets, stringing up several triple-double games with Kevin Durant sidelined. This only made his layoff even more frustrating, as he admitted.

“This is the longest I’ve ever been out in my career. It’s been frustrating. This last month I just think about how much I cherish the game.”

Knowing him, James Harden will be back in form in no time, and Steve Nash could heave a sigh of relief.