Nets star James Harden opens up on Kyrie Irving's return

The Brooklyn Nets were doing just fine without Kyrie Irving. They were one of the best offensive teams in the NBA and looked like one of the clear-cut favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.

Nonetheless, the league’s struggles to keep COVID-19 in check pretty much forced their hand to backpedal on their decision. Now, Irving will be allowed to play in road games for the remainder of the season.

Even if Kyrie’s only able to play every couple of games, fellow star James Harden still believes that his presence is going to provide the Nets with a massive boost for the remainder of the season.

James Harden Says Getting Kyrie Back Will Be Huge For The Nets

“We all know how special of a talent Kyrie is and what he means to this organization. Just being around him, even if it’s only for road games, it’s going to be huge for us,” the former Rockets star said.

Kyrie’s Presence Will Help Harden, Says Jalen Rose

Harden has been far from an elite scorer this season. He’s struggled to adapt to the rules and has failed to make the most of the opportunity without Irving. That’s why his return will only make things easier for him, according to Jalen Rose:

“I think once Kyrie returns, he re-energizes (Harden) and starts to be a little more engaged,”Rose said on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby.“I’ve seen moments where we saw the throwback James Harden of Houston. But, I’ve seen too many moments of him not looking like one of the Top 75 players of all time. And if you don’t believe me, there are so many stats to prove this.”

“I thought when Kyrie Irving was not playing, the James Harden productivity would be elite. It has not been,”the former NBA player added.“He has not even really been ballin’ like we know he’s capable. So, I think putting Kyrie back re-infuses Harden as well, because KD has been terrific.”

The Nets were already one of the teams to beat and Kevin Durant has been playing at a superlative level all season long. Now, it doesn’t seem like any other team will be able to keep up with their offensive juggernaut.