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Let’s just say this: James Harden was sensational in his Brooklyn Nets debut. Yes, he made nine turnovers. Yes, he only shot 3 of 10 of 3. But he was in total control all night long, slamming passes all over the place, immediately displaying an easy feeling of the delicate balance between when to create for himself and when to create for himself. moment to start his teammates, as the Nets parted ways with Orlando late for a 122-115 victory.
Harden’s chemistry with Kevin Durant seems to have never stopped playing together as the two combined for an incredible 74 points, 19 assists and 16 rebounds. Durant was poetic with 42 of the easiest points you’ve ever seen as his incredible start to the season continues.
For Harden’s part, with 32 points, 14 assists, 12 rebounds and four steals, he became the first player in NBA history to record a 30-point triple-double on his debut with a new team. He’s also already put his name in the Nets’ record books, as those 14 assists is a high deductible for anyone making their team debut and tying the record since the organization moved to Brooklyn.
Harden’s patience and play were the two biggest takeaways from this start. How he and everyone around him approach offensive balance will continue to evolve, likely for the remainder of the regular season, and Kyrie Irving’s return will be another wrinkle, but it’s already clear Harden is ready. to assume his role of orchestrator. . Check out all the different ways he created plans for his teammates on Saturday night:
Harden, who is one of six players in NBA history to win both a goal and an assist title, has always been a fantastic passer, not just for his creativity, his sense of the field and its timing, but because it is extremely precise, rarely forcing the reels or the spot. -up shooters to adjust for passes that are even slightly off the mark. It hits you squarely in the pocket, and the results reflect that pace.
By ESPN Statistics and Information, the Nets shot 7 for 12 in the first half receiving a Harden pass, and they were perfect 5 for 5, including 2 for 2 of three, when the shooter was left unattended. Speaking of unguarded, Joe Harris, who happens to be one of the best shooters on the planet, might not fire another contested shot all season with the attention his teammates are going to get. Get used to many triples like this:
Harris was also the beneficiary of his teammates’ seriousness in the game’s first possession. Here watch Harden and Durant move to the cross-screen for each other, and as all eyeballs go to them, Harris goes to the hoop for a layup.
In Houston, Harden’s gravity was never really a thing because he always had the ball. In Brooklyn, that won’t be the case. His off-ball movement can and should be a weapon, just like Durant’s and Irving’s when Harden has possession. When the three are playing together, two of them should constantly create individual lanes for the third with even a little activity.
The scary thing is that in many cases it won’t even be necessary. We’re literally talking about probably the top three individual scorers in the world, on the same team. They can take your turn in their sleep. Whenever a drought strikes, Harden and Durant can simply go for a pick and roll and get a good shot each time as the defenders make the impossible choice of which to follow.
For three years, Durant enjoyed playing alongside Stephen Curry, ending up with more open shots than he has ever seen in Oklahoma City, and that dynamic is expected to continue with Harden and Irving. Watch here as Harden methodically sucks the entire defense into the paint, forcing everyone to engage with him as a goalscorer and Reggie Perry as a roll, leaving Durant all alone for a warm-up jump.
Durant was 5 for 8 on 3 points on Saturday night. Harden’s never had a 3-point shooter like Durant as a co-star in Houston, and they’re going to be making music extremely easy with that kind of spacing.
Brooklyn’s defense still needs work. They are a good bet to pick another wing defender and / or a big man to protect the rim after Jarrett Allen leaves (preferably one who can also be a pick-and-pop threat given the availability of these. looks with Harden, Durant and Irving initiating) either by exchange or on the buyout market.
Working Irving into the mix will be a test. But after one game, the outrageous skills and IQ that both Harden and Durant possess made it pretty clear that this won’t be a terribly difficult transition. Irving is also incredibly smart on the court. They’re going to figure this thing out, and when they do, they’re going to be terrifying, perhaps bordering on the impossible, offensively.
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