James Harden Won't Return to Nets vs. Bucks Game 1 Because of Hamstring Injury
Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden left Saturday's Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first quarter.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Harden has been ruled out for the remainder of the game with a hamstring injury.
The Athletic's Alex Schiffer reported, per the TNT broadcast, that Harden left the arena to get a MRI.
Harden averaged 24.6 points on 46.6 percent shooting, 10.8 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Houston Rockets and Nets, the latter acquiring the nine-time All-Star on Jan. 13 in a four-team blockbuster deal.
The 2017-18 NBA MVP has dominated for Brooklyn, enabling the team to go 48-24 and finish second in the Eastern Conference. He's embraced his role as the team's de facto point guard en route to helping the Nets earn the NBA's No. 1 offensive rating, per Basketball Reference.
Brooklyn has excelled despite Harden and fellow superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant all being sidelined for extended periods of time because of injury.
Harden missed two games in early April because of right hamstring tightness. He came back on April 5 and played four minutes against the New York Knicks before leaving the game with an aggravation of his right hamstring injury. An MRI revealed a right hamstring strain, and he proceeded to sit until May 12, when he took the court against the San Antonio Spurs.
Expect Irving and Durant to assume a larger usage load against the Bucks, especially if Harden has to miss an extended period of time in the series.
Bruce Brown is the top candidate to replace Harden in the starting lineup moving forward, if necessary. The 6'4" guard averaged 8.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in his first year with the Nets.
