Despite losing James Harden to a hamstring injury in the first minute, the Nets take the lead against the Bucks.
The NBA playoffs' most anticipated second-round clash began with a thud Saturday night, when James Harden was injured in the first minute of the Brooklyn Nets' 115-107 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Harden, who was a leading MVP candidate before missing 21 games in April and May due to a right hamstring strain, appeared to injure himself while driving to the basket in transition. After asking Nets Coach Steve Nash for a timeout, the nine-time all-star grabbed the back of his right leg and walked to the locker room. Before halftime, Brooklyn announced that Harden would not return to Game 1, and he left Barclays Center early to undergo an MRI.
"When [Harden] had started walking out of courtyard, I did not realise what had happened" Kevin Durant told Nets. "It sucks only. I want him out there. I want him out. He cares, I know how much. In this moment, I know how much he wants to be. I want him to recover promptly, and as much as possible we will keep him involved. This is only a bad break."
This year's Harden, 31, averaged 24.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 10.8 supports the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster trade in January. In the East second seed, Brooklyn was 29-7 in the line-up, while Harden was 19-17 in the regular season without him.
After Harden's departure, however, Brooklyn swiftly regained its footing. Kyrie Irving scored 25 points, five rebounds, and eight assists to Durant's 29 points, plus 10 rebounds and three assists. Against a Bucks defence that had suffocated the Miami Heat in the first round, the Nets were free to play at their usual pace and generate high-percentage looks.
Nash has juggled his lineups throughout the season, with Durant, Harden, and Irving all missing significant periods of time at different times. In Game 1, the Nets went with backup guard Mike James, who scored 12 points in 30 minutes after only playing 10 minutes in the first-round series triumph against the Boston Celtics.
“We've had a lot thrown at us this year,” Nash said during his news conference, noting that the extent of Harden's injury was unknown. “In some ways, we've been well prepared for this event. That is something you never want to see. Someone like James, who is such an important, incredible player, cares so much.”
Brooklyn's first-year coach added that adjusting so early in the game without Harden was "tough," and he was "proud of the guys that they didn't get rattled."
"When you see one of our brothers snatching the game, you're feeling for him," said Irving. "We came into a hoodle and we just played it out of there, making sure everyone on the bench knew the situation we were in. This evening it went on our way, but we'll feel his loss regardless."
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo led the team with 34 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, but he also had five turnovers and only three free throw attempts. Khris Middleton, a forward with the Milwaukee Bucks, struggled from the field, sinking only 6 of 23 shots and finishing with 13 points. The Bucks made only 6 of 30 three-point tries as a team.
On Monday, Game 2 will be held in Brooklyn.
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Harden is seeking his first championship with Durant, Irving, and the Nets after failing to reach the Finals in eight years in Houston. To this point in his postseason career, he has been in excellent health. Harden has played in 134 playoff games over the course of 12 postseason runs, never missing a game due to injury.
In the first round, the 2018 MVP averaged 27.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 10.6 assists against the Celtics, who were missing several injured players, including Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker.
"I was a lot in other circumstances," said Harden after the Celtics had been eliminated. "I was [and] in dealing with guys going out late in the series to where I dealt with injury. That's what I've addressed. I was on that team. I was on that team. No one cares very much at the end of the day. Who's wounded doesn't care. It's all about winning. So it is, and so we're going to take it."
During the Eastern Conference semi-finals without watch Donte DiVincenzo, Milwaukee, the third seed to the East, suffered a seasonal ankle injury during the first run heat sweep.
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