Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Harris: ‘Have to play with guys you have’ as Nets await Kevin Durant

Originally posted on FortyEightMinutes | By Sam Amico | Last updated 4/22/21

It’s been a tough road for the Brooklyn Nets with injuries to Kevin Durant and James Harden, and that truth was best exemplified in Wednesday’s road loss to the Toronto Raptors. But Joe Harris said this is no time for excuses.

“It’s obviously a difficult situation, but this is the place a lot of teams are in right now. You’ve got to play with the guys you have,” Harris told reporters. “It was tough after a back-to-back, shorthanded, but you can’t use that as an excuse because everybody is dealing with the same sort of circumstances.”

Harris started 4-of-4 on 3-pointers on Wednesday. The rest of the team started 0–of-7. In the end, the Nets went just 13-of-41 on threes. When they’re not making shots, without Durant and Harden, they don’t really have anyone to save the day — try as Kyrie Irving might.

Meanwhile, Durant missed his second straight game after reaggravating a thigh injury Sunday against the Miami Heat. He has missed 35 of the Nets’ 59 games this season.

On the bright side, Nets coach Steve Nash said he could return as soon as this weekend.

“He is day-to-day, so I think Friday (against the Celtics) or Sunday (against the Suns) are very possible,” Nash said. “I’m not sure when it would be or if it would be either of those games, but he is day-to-day, so if he keeps progressing at this rate, I think Friday or Sunday are very possible.”

This article first appeared on FortyEightMinutes and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: