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James Harden rushed return for Game 4 would be panic move for Nets

Stay calm people! That's the message the Nets should be sending to their fan base after a defeat in Game 3 to Milwaukee. Brooklyn had the worst shooting performance of the season, yet led by three points with 1:23 remaining.
Now is not the time to make rash decisions and try to rush James Harden back from his hamstring tightness that forced him to leave Game 1 within the first minute. Any armchair analyst can see that the Nets missed Harden dearly on Thursday night, but Sean Marks and Steve Nash have been steadfast in playing the long game by resting and maintaining the health of their star players. Now is not the time to deviate from that plan even with the stakes getting higher and higher as the Nets push deeper into the playoffs.

Bitter Game 3 loss is hard lesson learned for Steve Nash, Nets

The Brooklyn Nets looked like they were going to get the doors blown off them in the first quarter as they trailed 30-11 with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton appearing to be unstoppable during that stretch. The Nets defense would lock down for the remaining three quarters surrendering just 56 points, while Antetokounmpo and Middleton combined for 68 of the team's 86 eventual points.
Brooklyn held a 83-80 advantage with just over 1 minute to play after Kevin Durant drained a 3-pointer, but the Bucks would go on a 6-0 run to end the game as Durant missed the potential game tying three at the final whistle. Durant went 11 for 28 from the field for 30 points, Kyrie Irving dropped 22, while Bruce Brown added 16. https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1403171787446304776?s=19 The Nets looked lost offensively as Durant had an off shooting night, but the most disappointing aspect was the lack of adjustments from Steve Nash and the coaching staff as the offense looked bogged down and relied heavily on Brown to carry the scoring load early. Why Nash allowed round to be the team's primary score and option on two of the last three offensive possession remains a mystery. The loss was a bitter one and a not-friendly reminder of Nash's lack of coaching experience, particularly in the playoffs, as Milwaukee executed and make key plays down the stretch while the Nets looked disjointed and unorganized in their offensive schemes.

Nets can't count on Bucks historically bad 3-point shooting to continue in Game 3

The Milwaukee Bucks long range shooting has been historically bad in their conference semifinal series with the Nets as they've made 14 of 57 attempts from beyond the arc for a paltry 24.5 percent through the first two games.
Part of their struggles have been nerves, a hostile road environment, the Nets newly found commitment to defense and flat out poor shot attempts. Brooklyn has maintained home court advantage and can't bank on Milwaukee misfiring at the rate they have so far. The Nets need to remain committed on the defensive side of the ball, but with home cooking heading the Bucks way on Thursday, Brooklyn will need to rachet up the intensity if it hopes to gain a 3-0 series advantage.

Nets shouldn't chance James Harden return if they at least split in Milwaukee

The Brooklyn Nets hold a 2-0 series advantage after dismantling Milwaukee by 49 points on Monday night. Steve Nash and crew haven't ruled out James Harden returning in Game 3, but why even chance it with the Nets in control of the series?
The only way Harden should play in the series is if Milwaukee ties up the series and sends the Nets back to Barclays Center needing a win to recapture the advantage. If the Nets can manage a road victory it would send the Bucks to the brink of elimination with Brooklyn needing one win with either three or four games remaining to end the series. Brooklyn can deal a knockout blow with a Game 3 upset in Milwaukee and virtually be able to rest Harden for the remainder of the series, barring a historic comeback by the Bucks. Game 3 is set for Thursday night and the Nets are showing they have enough firepower to knock off Milwaukee even without Harden.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's FT percentage second-worst in NBA playoffs

Entering the Nets-Bucks playoff series, many fans thought MVP frontrunner, Giannis Antetokounmpo, would set several NBA records during his team's playoff run.
What they didn't predict, is his 2-for 10 from the charity stripe in the Eastern Conference semifinals would force his free throw percentage to plummet to 53.5, just ahead of Ben Simmons' 34.5 worst overall conversion rate. Most NBA fans expect the bucks to show some fight back at home, but don't be surprised if Steve Nash and the Nets employ a "Beat a Greek" type strategy and force him to earn points at the line where he's struggled so far in the playoffs.

Nets' 39-point playoff win over Bucks largest margin in franchise history

The Brooklyn Nets took care of home court once gain in Game 2 trouncing the Milwaukee Bucks 125 to 86.
The 39-point victory marked the largest in Nets franchise playoff history. Brooklyn will be riding high heading to Milwaukee, but understands that they've simply taken care of home court and will need to steal at least one on the road to take a stranglehold on the series. Game 3 is set for Thursday at 7:30pm.

LeBron James sends well wishes to James Harden after injury

LeBron James will be watching the playoffs from the comfort of his home and the four-time NBA champion took to Twitter to send prayers up to James Harden following his hamstring injury. Harden left Game 1 within the first minute of play grabbing the right hamstring that caused him to miss 18 regular season games. If anyone knows about injuries, it's James as he looked somewhat hobbled during the Lakers first round playoff losses to Phoenix and Anthony Davis left Game 6 in the first quarter with a groin injury. The Nets take on the Bucks in Game 2 Monday night at Barclays Center.

LIVE: Nets Insider Episode Sunday, 6/6, 11am ET

Join Rick Laughland of NetsInsider, Randy Zellea of Backsportspage and Greg Logan of Newsday as they recap Game 1 between the Nets and Bucks and take a look ahead in the series as Brooklyn faces the prospect of playing without James Harden. The link below connects you to the live show and an archived version will be available. Be sure to subscribe to the Nets Podcast on Spotify, iHeart Radio, iTunes and more!

Nets still title favorites even with James Harden injured

Trading for James Harden was icing on the cake for Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets and transformed title contenders into the favorites to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were at the heart of Brooklyn's original championship blueprint, so the duo will likely do everything in their power to keep the Nets a atop the playoff pecking order. Now that Harden reaggravated his right hamstring injury in the opening minute of Game 1 against the Bucks, Brooklyn may need to prepare to play without him in Game 2 and potentially the rest of the series. The Nets bench responded in a big way, as Irving dumped in 25 and Durant 29, while Blake Griffin's double-double of 18 and 14 pushed the Nets to a 115-107 opening game victory. Game 2 is set for Monday and on short rest, it's extremely unlikely that Harden will be ready to play as he missed 30-plus games in the regular season after tweaking the same hamstring.

Nets-Bucks full series dates announced by NBA

The NBA's officially announced the dates that the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks will do battle in the second round. Game 1 is set for Saturday June 5th with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. Game 2 is set for Monday June 7th with tip-off TBD. Game 3 Is set for Thursday, June 10th with tip-off TBD.
Game 4 is set for Sunday, June 13th with tip-off TBD. Game 5 Is set for Tuesday, June 15th with tip-off TBD. Game 6 is set for Thursday, June 17th with tip-off TBD. Game 7 is set for Saturday, June 19th with tip-off TBD. Games 5,6 and 7 are if necessary, but as many anticipate the bucks will give the Nets their stiffest challenge yet so far in the playoffs.
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