Nets guard returns from hiatus to record a 36-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Brooklyn's victory over the Lakers.
LOS ANGELES — To both his fans and critics, James Harden looked all too familiar.
For his fans, he handled the scoring and play-making duties with astonishing accuracy. To his critics, he earned trips to the free-throw line by either flaring or invading an opponent's airspace. Add all of this to the Brooklyn Nets' 122–115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day, and Harden collected a third double in points (36), assists (10) and rebounds (10), the same way he always scored his own. In an NBA career of 14 years.
But Harden's performance against the Lakers was meant to be very different from the other five triple-double appearances he's made this season. Harden met his normal job description despite missing the last four games, including three after entering the league's health and safety protocols.
"Very difficult," Harden said. "Just because obviously we're trying to avoid it, but whatever. Just staying home and not being able to do anything. Then obviously when you have the opportunity to start working out, you get in shape." I have to come in and rebuild and reboot during the middle of the season. That was tough. But I'm happy to be back on the court."
Harden and the Nets are also happy that things went so smoothly. It would be understandable if things didn't go that way.
Harden said he spent the past 11 days in quarantine "not doing much" other than binging on video games and television shows. During that time, Harden may have just worn an oversized blue Snuggie as he did during his postgame press conference.
So with no chance to train during his absence, Harden spent his pre-game workouts to maximize his training.
Harden performed several parts under the basket. Harden then completed various strengthening exercises with a resistance band. After this, Harden did shooting workouts. Unlike most of his performances during his career, Harden's shots mostly hit the rim.
"It's difficult, especially when it's the middle of the season and you're affected by it," Harden said. “When you come back, you have to walk the ramp and hopefully stay on pace and get your conditioning and your air back and all that. It's difficult. But to think that everyone is going through this because this virus is spreading, how crazy. Hopefully it's not too serious, and people aren't really affected by it."
And yet, Harden was not impressed by his four-game absence and his pre-game work once the game started. With the Nets still missing Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge and four other players due to protocol, Harden served as the team's go-to scorer. Even with that less depth that included an injured Joe Harris (surgery on his left ankle), Harden delivered with just as much confidence and effectiveness to the other teammates.
In the most vivid example, Harden threw a lob to Nick Claxton, which ended with a dunk on Lakers star LeBron James, a play that gave the Nets a 118–115 lead, 40.7 seconds after Claxton made a foul shot later. The rest were.
"I have complete confidence in every person in the world," Harden said. "That's what makes us good."
Everything didn't go according to plan.
Harden made four turnovers. He earned a flagrant foul 1 with 8:44 left in the fourth quarter after moving his right forearm into the groin of Talen Horton-Tucker. After that game, an angry Lakers team went on to 17–5, which included James Harden finishing on the rim without making any effort to counter the shot. Harden also blamed the Nets' fourth-quarter offensive misadventure, saying, "I wasn't attacking the paint and going to the rim as I did in the last three quarters for whatever reason."
However, those moments didn't completely spoil Harden's overall performance. Harden made great strides after Nets coach Steve Nash called the season a "big challenge" for a variety of reasons.
Harden spent the off-season in treatment with a right hamstring injury that left him sidelined for a combined 18 games. This included missing Games 2, 3, and 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks after injuring just 43 seconds in Game 1.
Although Harden is second overall in assists (9.6), he averaged 20.8 points on only 40.4 percent shooting. This marks a noticeable drop in his career average (24.6 points at 44.3% shooting) and his first season with the Nets (24.6 points at 47.1%).
Not only has Harden gotten along well with officials, but he hasn't been rewarded with the same amount of fouls as in previous years, as his emphasis is on not calling fouls in which shooters initiate contact and attack a defender's airspace. . Harden has also played an entire season without Kyrie Irving. The Nets initially refused to allow Irving as a part-time player because he refused to receive a COVID-19 vaccine that would forbid him from playing in all home games because of New York City's mandate.
"A lot has been thrown at him," Nash said of Harden. "He has continued to progress and get better and is obviously clearing the latest blockage. He gets some fresh air today. But overall, I really appreciate his work coming back and continuing to improve throughout the season." Very happy with him. He can still get better. We know it, so he's curious and loves the game and is working hard on it."
Maybe that process will get easier soon.
Nash had no clarity on when Durant, Irving and Aldridge would exit NBA protocol. Because of his low depth chart, the Nets have cleared Irving to be a part-time player at least until he or she takes the vaccine. Nash predicted that Irving's part-time position would at least help James because he would have "one more player to draw attention, place, and pressure on him."
"Obviously, we all know how special Kyrie is to a talent and what she means to this organization and our team," Harden said. "Just being around him, even if it's just for road games, is going to be huge for us. It's going to make all of our work a lot easier. We miss being around him. Obviously, He is a very skilled basketball player. His personality around the team, we miss him."
Nets also missed Harden. But despite his long absence, Harden was barely late showing up to the Nets, which he missed. Harden gave some hints that Brooklyn could be seeing an even better version of their star player in 2022.
"I just wanted to win; That's all that matters," Harden said. "It was a little difficult, but that's it. It's what's thrown at us. So try to do whatever it takes to win."