More on James Harden Injury
Malika Andrews: James Harden (hamstring) remains out tomorrow against Chicago, the team says.
Coach Steve Nash said scans on Harden’s hamstring turned up clean and revealed no tear. “He’s doing pretty good. He had a scan and it was clear, so he’s day-to-day. So, we’re excited that it wasn’t worse,” Nash said. “So, big sigh of relief and you know, day-to-day means we will see him probably in the next few games for sure.”
Mike Mazzeo: James Harden is out tonight
The Nets lost James Harden to a hamstring injury in Wednesday’s 120-108 win over the Rockets, but don’t think it will be a long-term absence. Considering their last star to get hamstrung — Kevin Durant — has missed seven weeks, they’d better hope for a quicker comeback. “We’re gonna monitor it. We’ll see how he feels in the morning,” coach Steve Nash said of Harden. “I don’t have a lot to tell you, but we feel optimistic it’s not a long-term thing and we’ll just monitor it.”
With 4:48 left in the third, Harden was pulled and didn’t return. When Nash addressed the media postgame, he still hadn’t talked to Harden. “No, I haven’t spoke to him yet,” Nash said. “I came in, addressed the team and came to speak to you guys. So I think he told the trainer when he was on the sideline, and they went back to look at it, and they just decided that it wasn’t worth risking it. And we’ll just see how it feels in the morning and go from there.”
Mike Mazzeo: James Harden will play tonight
Malika Andrews: Steve Nash said Blake Griffin will play on Friday against Detroit. Nash said James Harden's availability will depend on how he feels Thursday and Friday morning noting, he's pretty "banged up." Nash said they'll throw out the tape on this loss to the Jazz and move on.
Tim MacMahon: Stephen Silas on James Harden: “Hopefully he’ll be able to play tomorrow.” Harden, who sat out last night due to a sprained ankle, got up shots today and will continue getting treatment.
Cayleigh Griffin: James Harden is a late scratch today. It’s a right ankle sprain - happened last game; was bothering him some today so team decided to be cautious. Eric Gordon will start in his place.
Salman Ali: Mike D'Antoni on James Harden's shoulder: "Well I asked him, and he kind of shrugged it off.... He'll fight through it. It doesn't really matter. He's going to be his normal greatness."
Mark Berman: NBA source: James Harden and Clint Capela expected to play tonight.
Jonathan Feigen: Rockets optimistic James Harden will be ready to play in Portland on Wednesday, source said.
Jonathan Feigen: James Harden is out for the Rockets tonight vs. Jazz.
Michael Singer: James Harden is out today vs. Nuggets.
Jonathan Feigen: Rockets guard James Harden is listed as questionable to play against the Nuggets with a bruised left thigh.
Mark Berman: James Harden out-sprained right toe.
Salman Ali: Update: James Harden's eye - still red as hell.
Marc J. Spears: Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni says guard James Harden is “good to go” tonight after his eye injury.
He still finished the game with 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting, six rebounds and four assists, which is the main reason why some Warriors players are downplaying the severity of his injury, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “There are some players in that (Warriors) locker room that are not buying the whole James Harden eye being extremely hurt thing. They were talking about some of the shots he was shooting during the game then when he goes to the free throw line and squinting like he can’t see.”
Matt Young: By zooming in on @Brett Coomer's photo, you get an updated look at James Harden's eye at Friday's practice - three days after getting hit in the face by Draymond Green. Still extremely red. (Photo by @Brett Coomer)
Salman Ali: Mike D'Antoni says James Harden should be good to go on Saturday with clear vision. pic.twitter.com/SPF8ND21QD
Jonathan Feigen: D'Antoni said he was unsure if James Harden will practice today, but should be fine on Saturday. Harden was among first on the court and already shooting. Eyes look better, other than the cut.
The Houston Rockets are optimistic that star guard James Harden will not have any more problems with his vision in the Western Conference semifinals, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. After the Rockets' flight landed in Houston on Wednesday afternoon, Harden went straight to an eye doctor. Tests revealed no damage to either of Harden's corneas, a source said, and the Rockets expect his vision to be completely clear by Saturday's Game 3.
Tim MacMahon: James Harden went straight to an eye doctor after Rockets’ plane landed in Houston this afternoon. Team is optimistic he won’t have issues with vision in Game 3 and beyond. His left eye, where he has a contusion and cut inside eyelid, especially bothered him in Game 2.
Walking behind Chris Paul into a post-game news conference, Harden held his hand over his left eye. Harden dealt with bleeding in both eyes, including a lacerated left eyelid, following an accidental poke from the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green on Tuesday night. As Harden sat down to address the press, he squinted uncomfortably, shielding his eyes from the bright lights of the podium, and explained how the first-quarter injury had affected him. “I could barely see,” Harden said. “I just tried to go out there and do what I can to help my teammates. It is pretty blurry right now. Hopefully it gets better day by day.”
“What do you want me to say?” Harden said. “He asked me if I was alright. I said, 'Yeah.'" “I made a mistake and hit him in his eye,” Green had said, minutes earlier. “It’s not about hurting anybody out here. So many times, people forget that when a guy has an injury, you live with that every day, every second of every day. It is not just about the game.”
Salman Ali: Mike D'Antoni on James Harden's neck stiffness: "I know it's bothering him. After the game, it bothers him for sure. He's had it and what he had 57? 61?"
Salman Ali: James Harden is healthy and available for Houston's game tomorrow against the Atlanta Hawks.
Jonathan Feigen: Rockets guard James Harden is questionable to play Sunday against the Timberwolves with a cervical strain.
Alykhan Bijani: “James (Harden) is good, he’s ready to go.” - Coach D’Antoni #Rockets
Jonathan Feigen: James Harden probable to play for Rockets vs. Hawks. Shumpert good to go.
Mark Berman: James Harden not sure if he'll play tonight: "It's my first time touching a basketball in two days. So we'll see. I feel better. Every day I've gotten better." pic.twitter.com/cDGBcgUy7p
Anthony Slater: Sense from some around Warriors is a bit of disappointment that James Harden isn’t going tonight. They were craving a test, but mostly wanted Cousins to get as much pre-playoff experience as possible facing Harden’s target attacks. They meet again in Houston in mid-March.
Jonathan Feigen: James Harden is out with a strained neck and flu like symptoms.
Tim MacMahon: Source: James Harden's status will be a game-time decision after he did not participate in the Rockets' morning walkthrough. He's officially listed as questionable against the Warriors due to a cervical strain.
Jonathan Feigen: James Harden is questionable for the Rockets to play against the Warriors on Saturday with a cervical strain.
Gerald Bourguet: Jamal Crawford is available for tonight's game, per Suns. He's missed the last 5 games with knee soreness
Tim MacMahon: Source: Rockets guard James Harden is expected to play vs. Celtics. He's listed as questionable due to a left calf contusion.
Malika Andrews: It’s official: James Harden will start tonight against the Bulls after 10 days out due to a hamstring injury, Mike D’Antoni said. It is the first time since fight night in LA that Harden and Chris Paul will play in the same game.
Jonathan Feigen: New injury issues for the Rockets. Eric Gordon is out with a sore leg. James Ennis is questionable with a sore right hamstring. That was the hamstring that had been strained before he came back last night in Brooklyn. James Harden is available to play tonight against in Chicago.
Jonathan Feigen: D'Antoni said James Harden probable to play in Chicago tomorrow. Out tonight only because it's a back-to-back and Rockets did not want him to play in both games coming off the hamstring strain.
Mark Berman: Mike D'Antoni says the MRI will provide the information needed on James Harden's hamstring injury: "It's probably closer to a strain that it is tightness. He wouldn't have gone out if it's just tight. So he felt a little bit more, I'm sure." #Rockets pic.twitter.com/iRuYrmKbqU
According to Harden, it’s nothing to be alarmed about. “Just felt tightness in that hamstring,” he said. “I’ll see how it feels tomorrow.” When asked if the pain was similar to his hamstring injury last season, which caused him to miss nearly two weeks, he added, “Nah, it’s nothing serious. It’s nothing close to last year, just being cautious.” According to one source who spoke to The Athletic, the injury shouldn’t cause Harden to miss more than one game, which would be Friday, when the Clippers come to town.
Tim MacMahon: James Harden still sit out tonight vs. Mavs and play Monday against the Spurs, coach Mike D’Antoni said.
Jonathan Feigen: James Harden is questionable to play Sunday at Dallas with a sore left knee.
Jenny Dial Creech: James Harden will start tonight- minutes restricted to around 25. #Rockets
The Houston Rockets plan for star guard James Harden to return from a hamstring strain Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, barring any setbacks during Wednesday's practice, league sources told ESPN. Harden, who has missed the past seven games, is officially listed as questionable for Thursday's home game.
Jonathan Feigen: Rockets guard James Harden upgraded to questionable to play against the Timberwolves on Thursday. Nene, Zhou Qi, Troy Williams, too. Rockets 4-3 in games without Harden.
Rockets guard James Harden could return from his strained left hamstring as soon as Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said, before Harden went through some of Sunday's practice in UCLA, his first practice time with the team since the injury Dec. 31. Harden's return "could be Thursday or Saturday, I don't know," D'Antoni said. "We'll see how it is. Each day he's got to get better. We'll see. Whenever he's ready.
Kelly Iko: James Harden is nearing a return to the court and “should be back soon, anytime next week”, according to a member of his camp who told me this morning. #Rockets
Mark Berman: James Harden isn't back yet but he's still putting up some shots after practice. #Rockets pic.twitter.com/E904CUysIc
Alykhan Bijani: MDA on Harden’s injury: It’s the exact same thing as having Chris out. It’s just too bad we’re not maturing as a team with both of them together, but that’s okay. We’ve got plenty of time. We just have to get through this next stretch of games without him & play at a high level.
Harden said he felt his hamstring pull as he went up for a driving layup. "Hopefully it is not that serious, just a pull on the hammy," an optimistic Harden said afterward. "Just got some treatment right now and hopefully, day to day, it gets better. "But I'll be good," Harden added. "[It was concerning] especially [when] you don't know what it is or you have never experienced it before. Like I really can't run. If I am going to play. But I really couldn't run so let me go back here and see what is going on. We'll see. I think we don't play again until [Wednesday against Orlando]. ... So I got a couple of days."
David Hardisty: Harden is in good spirits in the locker room, but it's clear the hamstring is a problem. He's walking gingerly, keeping his left leg straight.
Mark Berman: James Harden left hamstring strain: "Hopefully it's not that serious. Just a pull on the hammy...Hopefully, day to day, it gets better."
Alykhan Bijani: “I don’t think we’ll know until tomorrow” - Coach D’Antoni on Harden’s hamstring injury. #Rockets
Mark Berman: James Harden has left hamstring strain and is out
Jonathan Feigen: D'Antoni said Harden's knee feels better. Never much doubt he would go tonight, as he said on Saturday.
Jonathan Feigen: James Harden (bruised calf) good to go for Rockets vs. Pelicans tonight.
