Injury Woes Continue for Brooklyn Nets as Harden Is Out for at Least 10 Days

Injuries continue to hound Steve Nash and his Brooklyn Nets.

With Kevin Durant missing the team’s last 23 games, the team will now be without James Harden for at least 10 days.

Harden aggravated a hamstring injury during Tuesday’s game against the New York Knicks. The Bearded One had missed the team’s previous two games with the injury but decided to take the court against the Knicks. His return lasted only 4 minutes and 22 seconds.

Good thing for the Nets, Kyrie Irving erupted for 40 points as Brooklyn beat their inter-Burrough rival Knicks 114-112. However, Harden’s injury could prove to be an issue for the Nets moving forward.

I Am the MVP

Last month, Harden told reporters that he “feels like the MVP”, and he has a point. The Nets were 7-6 when Harden made his debut against the Orlando Magic. Brooklyn is currently 35-16, no. 1 in the East and no. 3 in the entire league after the conclusion of Tuesday’s games and Harden has a huge part in that, averaging 25.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 11.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in 34 assignments for the Nets.

The best NBA betting sites have Harden as one of the betting favorites to win MVP honors. Online sportsbook SportsBetting.ag currently has Harden second in their odds board at +375, behind frontrunner Nikola Jokic who is listed at -140. But if he misses significant time because of his current injury, he could drop in the list like what happened to LeBron James and Joel Embiid who were the favorites before they got hurt.

All-Star Power

The Nets have assembled one of the most individually accomplished teams in the history of the league. They have two former MVPs in Durant and Harden and six players who have made a total of 41 All-Star game appearances. The Nets are also the first team in NBA history to have six players who have made multiple appearances to the All-NBA teams. In fact, their total of 31 All-NBA team appearances ranks only third behind the 2004 Lakers and 2011 Celtics teams.

But that All-Star power has so far gone for naught, with Durant sidelined since February 13th with a hamstring injury. KD is “likely” to be returning to action this Wednesday when the Nets play the New Orleans Pelicans. But then now it’s Harden who will be out for at least 10 days. Durant has played only a total of seven games with Irving and Harden and the three of them have not played together with Griffin and Aldridge.

There’s no questioning the talent on the Brooklyn Nets. They are one of the most loaded teams in NBA history. But talent alone won’t win them the gold, the aforementioned 2004 Lakers, 2011 Celtics, 2013 Lakers, and 1999 Rockets are proof of that. To build a championship team, the Nets have to start playing together in actual games. Unfortunately, getting healthy has been an issue throughout the league this season.