James Harden is one of the most gifted scorers in NBA history. Harden has been in the NBA for 12 years now and has had one of the most spectacular careers in the league. And right now, he finds himself on the championship favorite, the Brooklyn Nets.
Harden and the Nets will be looking to right the wrongs of last season. When Harden left the Rockets to join the Nets, Brooklyn immediately became the standout favorite to win the NBA championship last season.
But there were some skeptics who thought that his pairing with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving would work. There were some who felt that Irving and Harden are two very ball-dominant players, and couldn’t work alongside each other successfully without the ball.
On top of that, there were also concerns about the Nets’ defensive abilities. Harden and Irving were never solid defenders, and fans felt that they wouldn’t be able to overcome that handicap.
Harden and Irving quickly dispelled both those notions. ‘The Beard’ took over point guard duties, playmaking for the whole team, while Kyrie moved to the shooting guard position. And they eventually improved on defense enough to ensure that they would be able to outscore every opponent in front of them.
The Nets had a significantly injury-riddled season. Between January to June, all three of the Nets superstars dealt with major injuries. Harden suffered an injury during the NBA playoffs, as did Kyrie Irving. While Harden was able to return, he had lost the great form he had during the regular season.
The injury issues for Kyrie and Harden allowed the Milwaukee Bucks to defeat the Nets in the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs, despite the brilliance of Kevin Durant.
With a full offseason to recover, the Nets are once again considered the favorites for the title. As for Harden, he has been hard at work trying to inculcate some new offensive moves into his arsenal.
In a recent video he posted on Twitter, James Harden showcased the work he has been putting in the gym ahead of the new NBA season. Harden was showing off some of the new moves that he has been working on, probably in an effort to further improve ahead of a potential championship season.
— James Harden (@JHarden13) September 27, 2021
Harden and the Nets will return to the court next season with the singular goal of winning an NBA championship. Much like last season, fans expect Harden to be the point guard for the Nets, setting up the rest of his teammates while also putting up solid numbers for himself.
If the Nets can stay healthy this season, they will be the betting favorites to win the championship. The only major threats they have are the Bucks and the Lakers. And if Harden’s new moves pay off, they will have little to worry about next year.
