Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
James Harden is out indefinitely with his hamstring injury.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Mark J. Terrill/AP.)
So James Harden, who hasn’t played since April 5 (but, really, hasn’t played a semi-FULL game since March 31 as he only played four minutes on the 5th), will be out indefinitely with that hamstring ailment. He was supposed to be out for 7-10 days but now it’ll be much longer.
This is a legitimate worry. Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving have only played 7 games together and they won’t have many chances to play together in the regular season, if at all. Yes, they’re all superior players and they can probably figure it all out pretty quickly but chemistry does matter. We can go back to 2007-08 when the Celtics put it all together but they also had an entire regular season to work it all out. And they did by going 66-16 on the way to their 17th championship.
Not only is chemistry a bit of a worry but health in general. Durant’s legs haven’t been great this season even with that astounding comeback from an Achilles injury. Harden is dealing with his hamstring and, this may seem strange to a lot of you, but I also worry about Kyrie’s mental health. He’s taken many a sabbatical to clear his head. This is a real thing, guys.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if they’re all healthy by the postseason and take it all the way. They’re so talented and so good; it’s hard to match the Nets’ talent alone. But we’ve seen the contenders they’re going against, too. The Sixers, with Joel Embiid playing at an MVP level, have been excellent. The Bucks want to get retribution with their slightly-changed core of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. Boston is starting to figure it out. And we can’t forget Miami; we know what they’re capable of.
In all honestly, I still feel the Nets will win the East. But health and chemistry are making it shaky. And all we can hope for is for everyone to stay healthy.
Bullet Passes
And the Nets did beat the Pelicans on Tuesday. Zion Williamson is so hard to stop (33 points) but Brooklyn can outgun just about every other team.
Good news for the Charlotte Hornets? LaMelo Ball could make a return to the court by the end of the month. He’ll be needed for the stretch run.
But in the meantime, the Hornets couldn’t avoid the stampeding Knicks, who have won 7 straight. Yup. Not a misprint.
Anthony Davis is also due back on Thursday against Dallas. Like I said, the Mavs and the Blazers had a chance to kick the Lakers down but they blew it.
So is Anthony Edwards the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year now? He put in 28 points in a win against Sacramento. He’s averaging 18.3 points and 4.4 boards per game.
Paul George, who gets insults for not coming through in the clutch, made the game-winning foul shots with 4.8 seconds left against Portland. In this last 7 games, he’s averaging 32.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.6 steals. In that stretch, he’s also shooting .475 from three. POP THAT P.
NBA Scoreboard
Apr. 20, 2021
Watch This Play
Uncle Jeff Green shows fellow poster-maker Jaxson Hayes how it’s done.
(VIDEO CREDIT: House of Highlights.)
Jeff Green has been doing this his whole career. He’s a walking highlight.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.