MY ACCOUNT
Kevin Durant believes star Brooklyn Nets team-mate James Harden is in good shape and his slow start to the season is due to establishing some continuity.
Harden contributed 16 points, 11 assists and four rebounds in the Nets’ 117-108 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, as he continues to build towards his best former after rehabbing a hamstring injury during the offseason.
The former NBA MVP is down on his usual scoring output – averaging 18.3 points this season, his lowest since ending his third year in the league averaging 16.8 in 2011-12 – prior to the midweek clash – compared to his career average of 25.1 points per game.
Harden got to the line once against the Hawks, while 11 of his 14 shots from the field were from three-point range.
Durant pointed to the fact Harden only joined the Nets from the Houston Rockets in January before battling injuries, playing together only 11 times last season, meaning they are still establishing continuity and cohesion.
“I think he’s in good shape. I think he’s playing well,” Durant told ESPN after the championship-chasing Nets’ third straight win. “It’s a matter of us getting used to each other, figuring out line-ups and that stuff takes time.
“Continuity, we don’t have a lot from last year. We’re trying to build on that.
“Controlled the game from the point guard position, made shots when we needed to, it’s a good win.”
In contrast to Harden’s form, Durant dominated with 32 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Another former MVP, Durant has scored 20-or-more points in each of his last 21 games for the Nets and has been a key reason the Nets have started 5-3 with Kyrie Irving absent and Harden regaining form.
Durant is averaging 28.3 points (most since his final season with the Oklahoma City thunder in 2015-16), a career-high 8.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists while boasting a career-best 59.2 per cent field-goal percentage. If he maintains this level, the Nets superstar would join LeBron James as the only non-bigs to average 25 points per game on 55 per cent shooting in the last 35 seasons.
“I know we’re all trying to get better as the season goes on,” Durant said. “I’m not looking at the rest of the team like they’ve got to catch up.
“It feels like we’re all growing and learning and figuring each other out every single day. It’s good to see that development in real time. We’ll keep grinding, that’s all I’ve been saying.”
