The Nets are just one step away from playoff playoff qualification! After losing to the Kings and suffering six straight losses, the Nets' record became 29-22, ranking sixth in the East, and seventh in the East was the 28-24 Hornets. The future schedule is not too easy, and teams such as the Jazz, Nuggets, Wizards, and Heat are likely to let the Nets' performance continue to decline. It seems that at the beginning of the season, the Kevin Durant season scoring king, the regular season MVP and other honors are basically in vain, on the one hand, he missed too many games due to injury, on the other hand, the Nets' record, the Nets have 31 games left in the regular season, will the Nets have a chance to return to the top three in the East?
Before beating the Nets, the Kings were seven consecutive defeats, even if they beat the Nets, the King's record was only 19 wins and 34 losses, ranking third from the bottom in the West, which is a standard fish belly team, but unfortunately the Nets are not contentious, even the King's fish belly team has not been able to beat. Durant's absence was indeed the Biggest loss in the Nets' combat effectiveness, but the Nets' James Harden and Kyrie Irving played at the same time, at least with a double core, and the King's core Daron Fox did not play.
In such a slightly humiliating loss, Irving and Harden performed extremely badly, Irving had 5 of 15 three-pointers, including 5 three-pointers and 2 free throws, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks, and Harden's performance was even worse, with 4 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists on 5 of 11 shooting, including 6 turnovers. From the 17-18 season to the 19-20 season, Harden's season average scores have reached 30+, and the 18-19 season has even reached a terrible 36.1 points, which shows Harden's scoring ability, and now he has not scored in double figures, which is really incomprehensible.
Injuries and fatigue are indeed factors in Harden's poor form, and Harden has also experienced back-to-back combat, and the fatigue factor will be more obvious. However, no matter how tired, Harden will not score only 4 points on the whole game, and it should be known that during the Rockets period, Harden's fatigue is no less than this. Therefore, such a Harden is probably not just an explanation for injuries and fatigue. So, what exactly is wrong with Harden? We might as well look at some of his performances on the offensive end.
Throughout the game, Harden made 11 shots and hit 2 hits, including 0-of-5 from three-point range. Of the 11 shots, Harden had 6 retreat shots and hit 1, including 4 retreat three-point shots without hitting; 2 shots were completed by breaking through the throw and failed to hit; 2 shots were completed by breaking through the layup, hitting 1; 1 three-point shot was completed by means of an emergency stop jump shot and failed to hit. Retreating steps are Harden's main means of termination, but unfortunately his hands feel too bad, and at the same time, too many retreat steps also make Harden lose his threat on the offensive end.
In the whole game, Harden did not get a single free throw opportunity. Since entering the league in 2009, Harden has only had a total of 28 single-game performances without free throws, of which 22 were during the Thunder period, which means that after leaving the Thunder, Harden has only 6 times without a penalty performance in a single game. Harden is a master of foul making, and not getting a free throw is an extremely rare situation for Harden. But then again, after most of the attacks, the withdrawal method is completed, where can you get the free throw?
Harden's style of play has not changed much, breakthroughs and three-pointers are his main offensive methods, this season, Harden has made 16.2 breakthroughs, ranking tenth in the league, which is also a good result, but in the game with the Kings, Harden has 11 breakthroughs, which is a certain gap with the average level of the season. It is estimated that Harden was still affected by physical fitness and injury, so he chose a relatively energy-saving retreat shot.
In addition to the offensive style, we also have to see Harden's movement distance and movement speed. This season, Harden's average defensive end has moved 1.06 miles and a speed of 3.23 miles per hour, but in the game against the Kings, Harden's defensive end is 1.03 miles and the speed is 2.97 miles per hour. Originally Harden's defensive end of the movement speed is the Nets' slowest, and the game with the Kings is a bit "worse".
The relatively simple style of play and the relatively slow defensive speed have become Harden's labels. So Harden's form is no longer a simple reason for injury and fatigue. He may be tired of the current state of the Nets, to know that Harden will have player options in the 2022 offseason, but his contract extension with the Nets has not been completed, it can be seen that the two sides have not reached an agreement on the next cooperation, if they have not been allowed to renew Harden's contract, the Nets may not have enough confidence to let Harden have player options, after all, Harden is the Nets to send away three first rounds and four first round exchanges to get players, if it is impossible to renew, is not it empty?
Text/Duncan's laugh