The Brooklyn Nets are looking to avoid an eight-game losing streak, and they'll have to do that against a tough Denver Nuggets team without Kevin Durant and James Harden, who's dealing with a hamstring injury.
With reports last week saying GM Sean Marks and the Nets are now ready to talk with Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers about a Harden-Ben Simmons swap, we're all wondering if Harden is actually hurt or if this is just a ploy to avoid any setbacks blowing up a deal in the works.
The latest injury update did little to stem the rising tide of excitement among Sixers fans that Morey might be reunited with the former Rockets star:
It’s happeningggg 🙏 🙏 https://t.co/dbcaGKg0rX pic.twitter.com/vytgv6g5hY
— * (@GreggForPrison) February 6, 2022
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
For background, Harden first popped up on the injury report ahead of the Jan. 26 game vs. the same Nuggets team. It was the second of a back-to-back so it seemed like more code for “well-earned rest day” when he was ruled out. Harden is fourth in the entire league in minutes per game with 37 after all. The Nets star would miss the following game with a hand strain. Then he played two in a row, including a four-point stinker in Sacramento.
“Yeah, I think … the last one, for sure I think he felt some awareness of [the left hamstring tightness when he played in Sacramento],” said Nets head coach Steve Nash. “So I think it was a factor. I know it was a factor.”
Nash elaborated a bit on the specifics of the injury recently.
“Yeah, I just think he wants to, we want to be cautious with him,” said Nash last Friday. “So just build up his strength a little bit for one or two more days, and hopefully he’s able to go on Sunday, but whenever we get that strength and that recuperation. [He has] a little strength deficit, but we feel like he’ll be safe to go, but just being cautious.”
The Nets coach was also asked Friday if Harden would need an MRI.
“I don’t think it’s that bad,” said Nash. “I think it’s more just precaution, really make sure we can strengthen him, give him an extra day, see if that gives us big dividends ’cause it’s not worth risking him being — you know like last year where we lost him for extended period, so just being very cautious.”
Fast forward to Sunday. Now it sounds like Harden has since had that MRI.
“The scan is pretty good but there's a strain — there's a tightness, sorry, not a strain, a tightness and a strength deficit,” said Nash Sunday. “So, honestly, we just don't want to take any chances. We know last year we lost him for an extended period. We want to be conservative, make sure he resumes full strength so that there isn't an extended absence.”
Might he be available for upcoming games vs. the Boston Celtics or the Washington Wizards?
“It's day-to-day, so hopefully, but it's a matter of does that strength get back to where we feel confident, he feels confident that we're not risking anything. That's what we're dealing with right now.”
Nash took a bold stance about the trade rumors prior to tip vs. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. He had a bit of a mic drop moment you can try to decode:
Nash’s comments are unlikely to diminish trade speculation this close to the deadline … but for the “what is he supposed to say” crowd: He didn’t have to answer the question multiple times or could have said “that’s a question for Sean Marks” since he’s the coach and not the GM. https://t.co/3iQCpYYON4
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 6, 2022
It sounds like there really is some sort of day-to-day injury and the team, given their star's history with the other hammy last season (a Grade 2 strain to his right hamstring severely limited him in the playoffs), wants to err on the side of caution. If part of that caution is also due to possible trade discussions, Nash didn't make it sound that way, but then again, why would he?
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