During his time with the Houston Rockets, James Harden was known as a prolific scorer. He was breaking records on the court and even won 3 scoring titles. There’s no question that he was a one-man wrecking crew.
However, James Harden has struggled with scoring this season, averaging 17.3 PPG on 36.4% from the field. There’s no question that he’ll have to pick it up for the Brooklyn Nets to remain a contender.
When speaking to the media after the Brooklyn Nets’ recent loss to the Miami Heat, James Harden stated that he can’t “get back” to scoring 30 or 40 points a night, as his summer was mostly rehab. Harden suffered a hamstring injury during the Nets’ series against the Bucks last season, so it makes sense that he’s still finding his bearings.
James Harden: "As much as I want to get back to 30s and 40s points, I can't do that. As much as I want to, as much as I would love to, I didn't have any opportunities to play pickup. It was all rehab."
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) October 28, 2021
As much as I want to get back to 30s and 40s points, I can’t do that. As much as I want to, as much as I would love to, I didn’t have any opportunities to play pickup. It was all rehab.
A lot of people have suggested that the free throw rule changes were the cause for Harden’s slump, but it seems as though he is still recovering from injury. It is also quite possible that his play will pick up over the course of the season, as he gets used to the new rules and gets in better shape post-injury.
The Brooklyn Nets will hope that James Harden can provide a scoring boost for their offense. While Harden did mention that scoring huge amounts of points for the Rockets was “draining” after he got traded to the Brooklyn Nets, it’s abundantly clear that they’ll need him to tap into his scoring prowess. Hopefully, we see Harden improve as the season goes on, and if he gets back to his peak form, the Nets will be the contender many predicted them to be.
