NEW YORK – Brooklyn Nets star James Harden played just four minutes before being ruled out for the rest of Monday night’s game against the New York Knicks due to a right hamstring strain.
Harden’s short comeback came after he missed the last two Nets games facing the same injury.
Before the game, Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said Harden will not have a one-minute restriction.
“We definitely don’t want to wear it,” Nash said before the start. “So we will do everything possible, which is sometimes very difficult. We will try to limit his minutes if we have the opportunity.
Nash reiterated that the images taken from Harden’s skier did not reveal any structural damage, so the team looked at him and his training staff to decide when he was feeling well enough to play.
“I think he’s in a position where he was tired,” Nash said.
The Nets were already without Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, Tyler Johnson and Landry Shamet.
Harden, one of the favorites for the “MVP” of the league, averaged 26.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game.