After injuring his hamstring just 43 seconds into Game 1, the Brooklyn Nets announced James Harden will sit out Game 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks due to “right hamstring tightness.”
Harden suffered the injury on Brooklyn’s first offensive possession of Game 1 against the Bucks when Harden drove to the basket against Jrue Holiday.
James Harden walked to the locker room after appearing to injure his hamstring on his first drive of Game 1. pic.twitter.com/drDfqQovVK
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 5, 2021
The team is now hoping he will be able to come back after a few days’ rest.
“He has high hopes, and he wants to be back ASAP,” said Nets’ coach Steve Nash. “This is playoff time. This is time to take some risks, but it has to be right to take those risks.”
So, we hope he’s back. He believes he can be back. But, we’ve got to see what happens, and only can time can tell how he responds.”
The Big 3 of Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving only played eight games together during the regular season due to injury.
Whether they would have enough time to sync up during the playoffs was in question.
“I didn’t realize what had happened until he had started walking off the court,” said Durant. “It just sucks. It sucks. It sucks because I want him to be out there.
“I know how much he cares. I know how much he wants to be in this moment. It sucks. Wishing him a speedy recovery. Keep him involved as much as possible. It’s just a bad break.”
Before the season started, there was concern that there may be more injuries due to the shortened and intensified schedule.
The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers fell in the first round after Anthony Davis suffered a groin pull and the Denver Nuggets are in the second round despite losing star Jamal Murray
during the regular season to a torn ACL.
Game 2 between the Bucks and Nets is Monday.