The coach, who requested anonymity due to his desire to work in the NBA again, based his analysis on the idea that Harden will be back at full health before the end of the regular season.
Steve Nash said on Monday night – before an MRI revealed a strain – that Harden’s injury didn’t seem like a ‘long-term’ thing.
“We’re going to err on the side of caution,” Nash said Monday, before the MRI revealed a strain.
The Nets say Harden will be re-evaluated in approximately nine days.
Given that timetable, the best-case scenario would have Harden returning on April 18 at Miami. (This assumes Harden won’t need time to regain his rhythm and conditioning before returning to the court.)
The most likely scenario is Harden, Durant and Irving sharing the court for the final 15 games – or fewer – of the regular season.
To date, Durant, Harden and Irving have only been on the floor together in seven games this season. Irving has missed time due to personal reasons and injury and Durant has missed time due to injury.
So the Nets’ Big Three have spent a total of 186 minutes on the court at the same time.
That’s a minute sample size, which is alarming when you consider that Durant and Irving hadn’t played together prior to this season.
But the ex-coach pointed to the way Durant, Irving and Harden played to back his assertion that the Nets will be just fine.
“Look at the numbers produced when they were on the court also, these guys will be motivated to make it all work, which is important,” the coach said. “I’m not saying it’s going to be smooth for (Nash and) the coaches. I just think they’ll be able to figure it out. I don’t think you’ll see another Clippers situation.”
The coach was referring to the Clippers’ lack of chemistry last season, which ended in an early playoff exit. Los Angeles’ star players (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George) were in and out of the lineup throughout the regular.
