The Brooklyn Nets have the best offense in the NBA, averaging more than 1.17 points per possession, which isn’t surprising considering their high-end talent. However, during the 2020-21 season, the Nets have only used their top three players for seven games, and Brooklyn may be adding to that number in the near future. James Harden is likely to be a game-time decision for Brooklyn’s game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews.
Harden last played in a game on April 5 against the New York Knicks, but he only played for four minutes before leaving with a hamstring injury. Though he appeared to be ramping up in mid-to-late April, news broke on April 20 that Harden had suffered a setback, and with just a few games left in the regular season, Harden has expressed a desire to get some reps in before the postseason begins.
Harden, as normal, has been a force on the court this season, averaging 25.2 points, 10.9 assists, and eight rebounds per game while shooting 61 percent true since joining the Nets. Harden’s transition to his new home has been smooth, particularly given his willingness to play more as a facilitator than he did in Houston. As a result of this adjustment, Brooklyn can run a truly frightening offense at full speed, and many consider the Nets to be the Eastern Conference favorites.
Harden’s return will be aided by the fact that the Nets will be playing at home for the rest of the regular season. Harden’s comeback against San Antonio is still a possibility, but Brooklyn has two days off after the Spurs game before hosting the Chicago Bulls on Saturday and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the regular-season finale on Sunday. It is a small window, but Brooklyn may be able to see a brief glimpse of their full team unit, which might be extremely valuable before almost a full week off between the end of the regular season and Game 1 of the opening round.
