Brooklyn Nets: James Harden Shines in Flatbush Debut

From the desk: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

THE BEARD 

ARRIVES IN BROOKLYN

SATURDAY

Magic    115

Nets       122

FINAL

James Harden grandly makes his Flatbush debut, posting a triple-double in his first game with the Brooklyn Nets.  With no practice or quality time for gaining more familiarity with the team as a whole, Harden, after the game, was self-conscious about his nine turnovers.  Otherwise, the newest Net scores 32 points with a game-high 14 assists and 12 rebounds.  Harden shoots 8/18 from the floor, including 3/10 from the arc and 13/15 from the line.  He is only the seventh player in NBA history to record a triple-double in his debut for a new team and marks the 47th triple-double of Harden's career.

Reunited with Kevin Durant for the first time since their days together at Oklahoma City, both play a game-high forty minutes apiece.  Durant was 16/26 from the floor, including 5/8 from the arc en route to a game-high 42 points, his first forty point game since joining the Nets.  Harden and Durant account for 61% of all Brooklyn scoring.

Joe Harris, basking in the glow of surrounding stars, shoots 6/11 from the field and 4/9 from the arc for 17 points.

Yeah, but ...

The Nets got 19 points, eleven rebounds, and just two assists from a four-man bench and have created a precarious situation at the five.  The Orlando Magic last season qualified for the playoffs with a sub-par 33-40 record.  In the absence of Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn barely outrebounded (41-38) the Magic.  Orlando was able to secure nine offensive rebounds.  DeAndre Jordan, now the Nets' primary center, scored just two points on 0/2 from the floor and 2/2 from the charity line and secured five rebounds in 23 minutes.

Before the trade, Flatbush was yielding 112.9 points per game.  On Saturday, they yielded 115 points to Orlando, who entered the game averaging 106.1 points per game.