Struggling Nets Take On Pacers

So far the Brooklyn Nets have not been as impressive in their first five games of the season as their record holds at 2-3 for the season. Getting handled at home by the Charlotte Hornets and losing by 13 Wednesday night to the Miami Heat. For a team that is not only favorited to go to the NBA Finals but win it all this is not the ideal start everyone was expecting. No Kyrie Irving has had an effect on the team. Irving was able to handle a lot of the scoring load for the Nets when James Harden and Kevin Durant needed to take a rest or plain and simple when the team needs a bucket. Now with Irving out and no word on when he will come back the Nets are searching for that third guy to step up for them and help out every game.

Another person who is struggling for the Nets is James Harden. In these first five games he has not been the usual James Harden the league is used to seeing. For the first time in over a decade the former MVP has scored 15 points or fewer in the last three games and has not been getting to the free throw line as much as he is used to. There are a couple of things here that are hurting Harden from being his usual self. One is his hamstring injury, in the playoffs last year Harden suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out most of the playoffs and those injuries linger for a while. His explosiveness is compromised due to this injury as he can’t get by players like he used to and cannot get as much lift on his jump shot.

Another reason for this is the rule changes in the NBA. Harden was one of the top players that was able control the game by drawing fouls that did not seem like fouls and the NBA has put a stop to that. Harden over the course of his career was able to average at least eight free throws a game but so far this season he is only averaging three Harden Wednesday night after the Heat lost said he felt like the “poster boy” for these new changes. Keep an eye out on Harden as he tries to recover from his injury and get adjusted to the new NBA rules.

A young Pacers team is struggling as well with a 1-4 record but a young team like this is always dangerous if they let them hang around. This Pacers team is led by Malcolm Brogdon who averages 23.4 points a game and 7 assists while his frontcourt teammate Domantas Sabonis is averaging a double-double 21.6 points a game, 11.4 rebounds and one steal. Four players overall average over 13 points a game but their biggest surprise has been rookie Chris Duarte who is averaging 18.6 points a game as he fills in for Caris LeVert. The Nets should be able to come out of this game with a win but with the way they are struggling and still trying to find their identity no game early in the season is a guarantee.