James Harden would rather not have a familiarity with running into a buzz saw in the second round of the playoffs, but that's been his reality in each of the last two seasons.
Harden, while still with the Rockets, ran into LeBron James and the eventual NBA champion Lakers last season in the bubble, and met current teammate Kevin Durant and the Warriors, who went on to make a Finals appearance themselves, in the second round in 2019. Both series ended in losses.
This time around, Harden is feeling more confident, even as the Nets get set to begin what figures to be a tough series with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Saturday night.
"I'm more than confident heading into this postseason," Harden said. "Just because, obviously the roster, and our schemes and the things we can control and the versatility we have."
Milwaukee looked like one of the best teams in the league in its first round series, easily sweeping the defending conference champion Heat. Antetetokounmpo will present an issue for Brooklyn in the paint, but the Nets have plenty of firepower on the offensive end to mask and defensive deficiency that may arise in the upcoming series, and help Harden get back to a conference final after two straight exits in the second round.
"I ran into some very very very good teams, which is one of the reasons why I've been short," Harden said. "But they're a very good team. They've had their core for some years now…so they've had their core and they've added some really good pieces, which is why they've been one of the best teams all year."
Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant looked just fine on the floor together despite limited shared playing time in the regular season, combining to average the highest scoring output by a trio of teammates in the history of any playoff series. Now the difficulty is kicked up a notch, but it's an opportunity for redemption for Harden, who has two fellow superstars at his side this time.
"If you look at our roster, we're elite too," Harden said. "It's going to be a showdown."
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