James Harden Exits Game 1 Against Bucks With Hamstring Injury
Within moments of the start of Game 1 for the Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks playoff series, James Harden limped off the floor with an apparent right hamstring injury.
Brooklyn coach Steve Nash updated Harden's status to Out before the start of the second quarter, giving Brooklyn a potential reason for concern right out the gate as they hope to survive the No. 3 seeded Milwaukee Bucks.
The injury came on a drive by Harden less than a minute into the game that forced the guard to immediately stop and head straight to the locker room once Brooklyn called timeout.
James Harden averaged 27.8 PPG during the Nets' six game series against the Boston Celtics. The potential to start their healthy tripartite of scoring, Brooklyn headed into the second round series with higher championship hopes, also fortified by the Lakers' first round elimination.
The organization's expectations to have the newly acquired Big 3 of Kyrie-Harden-Durant available on the court has been far from reality. A rotating injury report between the three All-Stars has allowed the tripartite of Kyrie-Harden-Durant to only play together for eight games' worth of time, according to a NY Post report.
Having previously struggled with a hamstring injury that sidelined Harden back in April, the team now must hold their breath as they wait on updates for their star player to confirm whether the injury is a short-term nuisance or long-term problem.