Saying this may sound like a broken record at this point, but James Harden is going to have to step up his game with the Brooklyn Nets. Fans have been waiting patiently for more than a quarter of the season now, but there’s been no real change in Harden’s game.
The way that he performed last Tuesday night in a 112-110 win over the Knicks is the player that he needs to always be. Harden was dominant from start to finish and shot a season-high 55% from the floor for a team-high 34 points. He gave hope that maybe — just maybe — he was returning to form.
However, it was short-lived. This past weekend, the Nets beat the Timberwolves on Friday, but then turned around and lost to the Bulls on Saturday. Harden’s performance in both games was a cause for concern. He scored 20 points against Minnesota (4-of-11) and 14 (5-of-21) against Chicago.
Kevin Durant’s proven he can win games singlehandedly for Brooklyn, but he needs Harden to be playing at a similar intensity. How long will this continue for Harden? Unfortunately, his inconsistency isn’t making it seem like he’s going to find a way out of his slump anytime soon.
3 reasons why James Harden is struggling for the Brooklyn Nets
3. Kevin Durant
How in the world is Durant any sort of a problem here? He’s the reason why the Nets are in first in the East, so why is Harden’s play his fault?
At least KD’s used to taking the blame, he did just that following the Nets’ loss to the Bulls on Saturday. It’s not Durant’s fault that Harden couldn’t finish at the rim and didn’t contribute the way he should’ve on the offensive end, but Harden’s played much better whenever KD’s either isn’t on the floor or has struggled.
Harden performed extremely well against New York. That was so noticeable because it was one of Durant’s worst outings of the year. KD shot 9-of-23 from the field (0-of-5 from the 3-point line) for 27 points. That being a bad game for Durant says a lot about the player that he is, considering that Harden’s only scored 27+ points six times this season.
When KD sat out with a sore shoulder against Orlando on Nov. 19, Harden scored 36 points in 41 minutes. The most he’s scored in a game this year is 39.
Without Durant, the spotlight was on Harden. And although he shot 28% from the field that game, it seemed like at least part of his confidence returned. Harden was able to take over the game in a similar way he’s done in the past.
For Brooklyn to be successful, it’s going to take both KD and Harden. The Nets can’t afford for Durant’s game to take a dip, but they also can’t afford to not have Harden at his best for much longer.
The two played together in Oklahoma City and reunited in Brooklyn. The chemistry is there, but Harden needs to break through the funk that he’s in. Whenever this duo gets into a groove, the Nets are going to look like the team that was named as the preseason title favorites.
2. Kyrie Irving’s absence
Whether you agree with Kyrie Irving’s stance on the COVID-19 vaccine or not, it’s hard not to miss his presence on the court. Without Irving, Harden has stepped in as Brooklyn’s point guard and it has only heightened his problems on offense.
Harden’s 4.8 turnovers per game are currently the worst in the league. He’s turned the ball over a total of 111 times. As the player that’s been tasked with facilitating the offense, Harden hasn’t done well. Irving ran a seamless, fast-paced offense, and that hasn’t been the case for Harden.
What makes the situation so bizarre is that Harden successfully built his reputation as a point guard with the Rockets. When he was traded to the Nets, Irving and Harden split time as the team’s point guards but for some reason that comfortability hasn’t transitions over to this season when Harden’s been tasked with the primary role.
After Brooklyn’s 113-107 loss to Phoenix on Nov. 27, Harden said that he’s had difficulties establishing a form of balance. That was obvious vs the Suns because he contributed seven turnovers to the team’s season-high total of 20.
Harden looks uncomfortable at times on the floor. He’s made lazy, nonchalant passes and hasn’t exactly taken the best/most efficient shots, which has resulted in his 40.3% shooting from the field.
With the game on the line, the Nets should feel comfortable with the ball in the hands of their point guard, but that hasn’t been the case. Are the Nets going to have to acquire a true starting point guard before the trade deadline?
If this continues, they may have no choice.
1. Harden’s (lack of) reliance on the free-throw line
Headed into the 2021-22 season, the NBA implemented rules that would reduce the number of foul calls on non-basketball moves. And if there’s one player that excelled at making it to the free-throw line based off of his theatrics, it was Harden.
His game has understandably taken a hit. At the start of the season, you couldn’t help but feel bad watching Harden. Although he was well aware of the new rule, he was clearly frustrated over not receiving the same calls that he had been used to getting for the entirety of his career.
As recently as the 2019-20 season, James averaged 11.8 free-throw attempts per game. In the 23 games that he’s played in so far this year for Brooklyn, he’s averaging 7.2 trips to the line. Harden’s shot 10+ free throws in only seven games this season and in those alone, he averaged 29.8 points.
Meanwhile, he’s averaging 20.6 points per game, his lowest since the 2011-12 season with Oklahoma City. Harden’s game was orchestrated around making it to the free throw line, and it’s been difficult for him to break old habits.
The NBA is more entertaining to watch now that the game constantly isn’t being interrupted by the whistle, but Harden’s been negatively affected. At the start of the season, he was asked if he felt like the poster boy for the new rule, to which he replied, “for sure.”
There are still 59 regular-season games left for Harden to reinvent his game, but the clock is ticking for him and the Nets. There should’ve been more of a clear adaption at this point.
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