GT: Nets @ Blazers - 3/23/2021 @ 10PM on YES

[mycorrizae]

I'm not too worried about Harden, he's used to this kind of load from his time in Houston, this isn't anything new for him. Obviously, you'd like to reduce the high load on him, but I think we'll have the opportunity to do that once Kyrie/KD come back.

He's had times where he looked a bit gassed in the playoffs, and this year is a compressed schedule so there's less built in rest days. If he's healthy he should play, but I worry about him playing 36 minutes every night with no rest days.

[DarkXaero]

I'm not too worried about Harden, he's used to this kind of load from his time in Houston, this isn't anything new for him. Obviously, you'd like to reduce the high load on him, but I think we'll have the opportunity to do that once Kyrie/KD come back.

He's had times where he looked a bit gassed in the playoffs, and this year is a compressed schedule so there's less built in rest days. If he's healthy he should play, but I worry about him playing 36 minutes every night with no rest days.

I think that's more a result of him having to carry the load in the playoffs as well, not because of the regular season. He was expected to carry the team in Houston in regular season AND playoffs.

[Prokorov]

I'm not interested in trading Kyrie, nor am I going to question his absence. He had to attend to a family matter, and I am fine with that explanation.

However, availability is everything in life, not just basketball, and right now, James Harden has always been available while our other 2 stars have not been, regardless of the circumstances. The Harden trade in hindsight is the difference between the Nets being a top 4 team in the league and a middle of the pack club.

I'm not trying to be unfair to KD and Kyrie, I am just being honest. Harden is available every night and is carrying this team to victory night after night playing a heavy load. We need to get Kyrie and KD back on the floor ASAP to prevent Harden from breaking down.

But we knew this coming in... if you go back to the harden trade thread, this was the #1 reason i listed that the trade is a no brainer. Harden is an iron man and Kyrie/KD are gonna miss 15-20 games a year.

Regular season wins are important. but to win a title you need elite players healthy when it counts. The Raptors were carried by lowry/Siakim in the regular season while Kawhii missed 14 games for maintenance. In the playoffs, Kawhi turned into Michael Jordan, was fresh, rested, and focus and carried them to a title.

We have seen the Cavs lose titles cause Kyrie was out
We have seen the GSW lose a title cause KD was out

We have seen Kyrie play a MASSIVE role in winning a title, including super clutch 4th quarter play
We have seen KD play a MASSIVE role in winning a title. including super clutch 4th quarter play

Its been said perfectly by a few people in a few places. Harden is this teams floor raisers. he will prevent us from being anything less then a 1-2 seed. KD/Kyrie are our ceiling raisers. if we want to win a title, we need those guys healthy and fresh

We need them in the playoffs definitely, I just worry about how much can Harden sustain. He nearly got knocked out versus Washington, he banged his knee and hit his back last night alone. He's known to be an Iron Man but there's no guarantees that he can continue to get hammered like this while playing 40 mins a night.

Well for me that part is on him and nash. we have a 8 game lead on the 4 seed and are 1 game out of first. we can sit harden a game or 2 and it wont matter much. it sucks when all 3 sit cause its basically a guaranteed loss but give the guy a breather. glad to see he is sitting tonight