The star of the Brooklyn Nets, James harden, is hoping to play Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks and will test his right hamstring before kickoff Tuesday night, sources told ESPN.
Harden, pushing for a chance to play, participated in the Brooklyn Nets’ shooting practice Tuesday morning with an improvement in his right hamstring, and that led the team to improve from doubtful to questionable status for Game 5 tonight, sources said.
The Nets are tied 2-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Bucks and are preparing to be without the point guard. Kyrie irving (sprained right ankle) for the remainder of the series, sources said. The team hasn’t ruled Irving past Game 5, but Harden is clearly much closer to returning.
Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said Sunday that the team would try to address the injuries as isolated incidents and would not allow Irving’s sprained ankle to push Harden back onto the court before his hamstring is fully. cured. Harden was injured in the first minute of Game 1 of the Nets’ series against the Bucks on June 5.
Irving was injured midway through the second quarter of Sunday’s Game 4 at Milwaukee when he landed awkwardly on the foot of Giannis Antetokounmpo after making a tray on Jrue Holiday.
Irving remained on the ground for several minutes while Nash and the team’s athletic trainers tended to him. Finally, Irving walked to the locker room without help, but he was limping. He came out of the sand with a walking boot and on crutches. An MRI on Monday confirmed Irving’s sprained ankle.
The Nets have battled injuries all season. The Big Three Harden, Irving and Kevin Durant they played just eight games together in the regular season and six games together in the playoffs, including the game in which Harden was injured after just 43 seconds. Harden missed 18 games in the regular season with a hamstring strain, and before that he missed two with a hamstring strain.
ESPN’s Malika Andrews contributed to this report.