Harden returned after an 18-game absence to lead Nets past the Spurs
James Harden had 18 points and 11 assists in his return from an 18-game absence to help the Brooklyn Nets beat the San Antonio Spurs 128–116 on Wednesday night.
The last time he came off the bench was back in 2011–12 when he was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He knows very well what it means to be a reserve and what his role is when he enters the game.
This is the longest layoff of his career, as he hasn’t played since April 5 because of a strained right hamstring.
“But that sixth-man role, I mastered that as well,” Harden said. “I got an award for that role. That role is easy. Come in and impact the game. Do whatever it takes to win, whether it’s defensively or offensively. But that’s my role no matter what, especially on this team.”
Landry Shamet scored 21 points and Nicolas Claxton had a career-high 18 points for the Nets, who won their third consecutive game and they are 1.5 games behind the Eastern Conference leaders, the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Nets played without Kyrie Irving after he left their victory in Chicago on Tuesday with a facial contusion.
DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points for the Spurs, while Dejounte Murray had 15 points and 11 rebounds.
“I just want to win and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win,” Murray said. “But at the end of the day, the situation we’re in, the last option is getting that play-in berth and going to see what we can do to try to get in the playoffs.”
Nets shot 60.8% from the field and 42.9% from the perimeter, while Spurs went 42.6& from the field and poorly executed from the perimeter, just 25.8% (8/31).