James Harden explains why he ‘can’t’ score 30 points a game right now

Nets star James Harden is not looking like the typical player we knew him as in previous seasons. The team knows it, coach Steve Nash knows it and more importantly Harden himself knows it. After a loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, the 32-year-old conceded that he won’t be able to reach that form in a while.

“As much as I want to get back to 30 and 40 points (a game), I can’t do that. As much I want to, obviously would love to. I had no opportunities to play pickup or nothing this summer. Everything was rehab for three months. From a grade 2 injury that happened three times in one season.

This is my fifth, sixth game of trying to just play with competition and play against somebody else. As much as I want to rush the process and be back to hooping and killing it’s like, ‘Nah, I’ll take the time.’ This is also going to make me stronger at the end of the season. I just embrace moments like this and things like this and I just keep pushing through it — I’m finally slowly getting back to it … It’s gonna happen. But you got to just continue to keep fighting and I will.”

In that game, Harden scored 14 points while grabbing seven boards and dishing out seven assists in the process. He also only got to the free throw line three times, but turned over the ball four times. In the postgame press conference, Nets head coach Steve Nash spoke on seeing glimpses of old Harden. However, he knows it will take some time getting back to that in it’s entirety.

“James is showing signs of getting his rhythm back. Like I keep saying, it’s not an easy process. It’s going to take him some time. He definitely had some incredible stretches tonight to build on.”