籃網後勢看好！越來越火熱的Harden與即將歸隊的Irving

由於Kyrie Irving和Kevin Durant仍在健康安全協議名單中，於是在聖誕大戰中我們只看到籃網三巨頭的其中一人出賽，但整季打來有點低調的James Harden在這天爆發了。
全場包辦36分10籃板10助攻的大三元幫助球隊擊敗了湖人，上一個能在聖誕節繳出35分大三元的是誰？Oscar Robertson。

才剛打出一場歷史性的表現，接著繼續在洛杉磯對決快艇。Harden表現更加火熱：上場40分鐘25投15中轟下39分以及8籃板15助攻2抄截，堪稱是賽季最佳表現。在球隊被疫情搞得兵荒馬亂之際，Harden選擇在這時候挺身而出正是時候。


籃網主帥Steve Nash提到Harden在賽季初的掙扎，來自於休賽期間的腿筋傷勢、對於新規則的熟悉度、以及Irving不在的情況下需要承擔更多的後場責任。

引用Nash：“我認為這對James來說是一個挑戰。之前的腿筋傷勢不幸讓他錯過很多時間，整個夏天他都在努力克服它。他在沒有常規訓練的情況下進入了這個賽季，所以遭遇到很多挑戰。他必須讓自己保持身材，讓自己保持健康，找到自己的節奏和自信，並適應一支沒有Kyrie以及10名新球員的全新球隊。

“他受到了很多打擊，他繼續進步變得更好，然後再來是最近的COVID中斷了節奏，所以他今天在這重新開始。整體而言，我對他在整個賽季中恢復並持續進步感到非常滿意，我們知道他還可以變得更好。他很渴望並熱愛這項運動，並且一直在努力。”

Harden看起來似乎會隨著賽季進行更加進入狀況，不過他受訪時提到有個後場增援將能帶給他更多幫助，就是即將復出的Irving。

引用Harden：“顯然，我們都知道Kyrie的天賦有多特別，以及他對這個組織和團隊意味著什麼。因此，只要有他在身邊，就算只是在客場比賽而已，對我們來說也是非常巨大的，他肯定會讓我們所有的工作都變得輕鬆許多。”

雖然Irving回歸的時間看來就在不久後，但他還需要透過一連串的練習來找回節奏，尤其是與球隊間的磨合絕對不是短時間內就能達到最好效果。另外，由於沒有接種疫苗，在之後的比賽期間是不是會更容易遭到病毒侵襲也是球團要注意的問題。

引用Nash：“我不確定他的日常情況以及他如何面對隔離，但我知道一但他退出健康協議後肯定能馬上進行訓練，開始加速並參加客場比賽。目前正等待讓他進入恢復健康和籃球訓練的計劃，他是一個令人難以置信的球員，我認為他會處理得很好。”

回顧一下Irving在上個賽季的進攻效率有多迷人：場均上場34.9 分鐘砍下26.9分（聯盟第9）、4.8個籃板、6.0次助攻和1.4次抄截。他成為NBA 歷史上第5位場均得分至少25分，同時投籃三圍來到50/40/90的球員，也是繼Stephen Curry後第2位後衛能達到這個高門檻。
球評Jalen Rose在節目中也認為Irving將會為籃網帶來決定性的幫助。

引用“這肯定會奏效，在沒有Irving參與的情況下，他們已經是東區頭號種子。現在你讓Irving回來了，這會減輕 KD的壓力，他已經是MVP級別的球員，他也可以幫助Harden。如果Irving穿上制服……這確實將讓他們成為我最看好的東區冠軍。”

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引用來源

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“I think it’s been a bit of a challenge for James. The hamstring last year was unfortunate, missed a lot of time and spent the entire summer trying to get over that. He came into the season without the regular conditioning and ramp-up, so there’s a lot thrown at him,” said Steve Nash on Harden’s season thus far. “He had to get himself in shape and first off, get himself healthy, in shape, find his rhythm, his confidence and adjust to a whole new team without Kyrie and 10 new players.

“There’s been a lot thrown at him and he’s continued to progress, get better and then obviously, the latest COVID interruption he had. So he starts fresh here today. Overall, really pleased with his work to get back and to continue to improve throughout the season, and he can still get better. We know that. He’s eager, loves the game and he’s been working on it.”

引用來源2

引用“Obviously, we all know how special of a talent Kyrie is and what he means to this organization and our team. So just to be around him, even if it’s only for road games, will be huge for us,” said Harden following the Nets’ 122-115 victory over the Lakers Saturday. “He obviously makes all of our jobs a lot easier.”

引用來源3

引用“I’m not sure about the day-to-day and how he’s handling quarantine, but I know that once he comes out of protocols, he’ll definitely be able to start training, start ramping up and being available for road games,” said Nash on Irving. “It’s really waiting for him to clear and getting him into a program of regaining that fitness and basketball conditioning. He’s an incredible player and a quick adaptor if there is any. I think he’ll handle that pretty well.”

引用來源4

引用“It is definitely going to work,” said Rose. “Stephen A. said why. They are already the No. 1 one seed without Kyrie Irving participating. Now you get Kyrie Irving back, and that takes pressure off KD, who is already playing at an MVP level, and it can ignite James Harden… Kyrie Irving does now make them my favorites to win the East if he’s in uniform.”