The Nets have looked like the far superior team through the first two games of their second-round series with the Bucks, and it will be that same group going in game three, as James Harden and Jeff Green have both been ruled out.
Harden, who left in the opening minute of game one with what was later revealed to be hamstring tightness, didn’t play at all in game two, raising concerns given the hamstring injury that kept him out for over a month late in the regular season. But Steve Nash told reporters on Wednesday that the team hopes to have the superstar back “at some point.”
Green suffered a strained left plantar fascia in game two against the Celtics in the first round, and has a more optimistic outlook for a return, as Nash and Green himself said that game four on Sunday could be a return date.
“I’m feeling good,” Green said. “It’s been a slow process but I’m getting better day by day. Maybe game four, or after that, I don’t know. We have to see how it feels over the next couple days to get back out there on the court.”
Green is currently running but still easing into planting and cutting and making other moves on the floor. He left the first-round series after landing awkwardly on his foot after catching a pass from Harden. Now both are forced to wait to make their playoff returns, but fortunately, Brooklyn has looked overwhelmingly dominant without them, holding a commanding 2-0 series lead heading into Thursday’s game four.
“I hate being out,” Green said. "Like James always says, he always takes pride in being available for his teammates, and I'm the same way. It's painful being out. That's why you see me on the sidelines up every play, trying to be a voice from the sideline, but not physically being out there is tough.”
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