NBA players are professional basketball players, no doubt. But they are human before anything else. They can have off nights too. However, if it becomes a common occurrence, do friends become foes? In a bizarre sequence of events, the Brooklyn Nets crowd turns on its own superstar, James Harden.
In the game against the Phoenix Suns, where Harden was visibly struggling, the crowd seemed to have had enough. On a turnover, they started booing their own superstar who was having an off night. He was 4 of 15 from the field tonight and had an absurd total of 7 turnovers. This is what happened at the Barclays Center when James Harden turned the ball over one too many times.
Nets fans start booing Harden after this turnover. 😳
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 28, 2021
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Brooklyn fans lose their calm with James Harden
On a turnover in the last quarter of an overall disappointing performance, the Brooklyn fans decided they had enough. Ever since his Houston days, Harden has often been criticized for his reckless turnovers and unforced errors on the floor.
James Harden had one of those nights where the basket seemed to have a cap over it. He could not make a single three-pointer in this performance despite 6 attempts. When the crowd is unhappy on a night where you have a triple-double, you know you carry a lot of expectations and hopes on your shoulders. While James Harden had 14 assists and 13 rebounds, his overall -8 +/- indicates how inefficient his performance was.
What does this mean for Harden and the Brooklyn Nets?
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While Harden’s struggles continue on the scoring end, he has crucially balanced his game in other aspects of the game. His rebounding and assists have drastically improved from his past seasons. The Nets are still a top-seed team in the Eastern Conference.
However, his efficiency on the scoring end is really hampering the offensive impact that the Nets aim to have. We cannot expect Kevin Durant to single-handedly carry the Nets offense. It would not be any different from Harden’s woes at Houston. Does this show the need for Kyrie Irving’s return? Are the Nets fans missing Kyrie Irving? Let us know what you think.
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