James Harden played spectacularly in his first game as a Brooklyn Net after being traded by the Houston Rockets, finishing the game with a 32-point, 19-assist, 16-rebound triple-double.
Another thing that was evident in his Brooklyn debut was the chemistry with Nets star Kevin Durant, who Harden already played with earlier in his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The two combined for 74 points to lead the Nets in their 122-115 victory over the Orlando Magic.
What was most impressive about Harden’s debut was his patience and his willingness to facilitate the offense, dishing the ball brilliantly to a variety of players.
Everyone knows that Harden can score from anywhere on the court, but playing with Durant obviously allows him to play a more complementary role instead of focusing on nothing but scoring.
If this first game is any indication, then the sky is certainly the limit for this Nets team, who can already be considered one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference right now.
It’s important to remember that the duo has yet to play with Kyrie Irving, the team’s third star who is currently dealing with unknown personal matters and not playing.
But even if Irving ends up bailing on the team for some reason, the core of Harden and Durant appears to be strong enough to take the Nets deep into the playoffs.
Considering how much they gave up for Harden, a large number of top draft picks, Caris LeVert, and Jarrett Allen, they expect nothing less than a championship in return.
