Is James Harden playing tonight against the Boston Celtics? | 2021-22 NBA season

James Harden’s addition to the Brooklyn Nets’ roster last season was supposed to be an instantaneous boost for the franchise, alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. But as injuries mounted, so did the irregularity in the “Big-Three” sharing the floor. The Brooklyn Nets have faced similar problems this season, in addition to Irving's stand regarding the vaccination.

Harden has struggled to make shots in the last few games he has played, missing four of the last six Nets games. His hamstring issues seem to be affecting his shooting, as he has averaged only 26.7 % from the field in his last two appearances.

The Brooklyn Nets (29-24) are five games behind the Eastern Conference leaders – the Miami Heat. Since Kevin Durant’s absence, the team has found it hard to close out games, holding on to an eight-game losing streak prior to the match-up against the Boston Celtics.

The Nets will take on the Celtics on Tuesday night, looking to register a much-needed win. Kyrie Irving will miss the fixture, on account of it being a home game. That adds more uncertainty on Harden’s availability, which might be crucial for the Nets.

What is James Harden's status for tonight's game against the Boston Celtics?

Harden has been listed as out for the Boston Celtics clash, managing hamstring issues that have bothered him in the past as well. Two days ago, Steve Nash reported that Harden underwent an MRI on his hamstring. It revealed the injury was not serious, but the franchise wants to be cautious to avoid it from recurring.

That leaves the Brooklyn Nets short-handed against the Celtics, playing without their superstars. Available players need to answer the challenge of facing Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s offensive output.

When will James Harden return?

There is no official timeline on James Harden’s return, considering this will be the third game he’s missing in a row. But the nature of his injury is such that it will most likely be a game-time decision for the Nets in upcoming fixtures.

It will be interesting to see what the Nets can do without their superstars on the floor to lead them. Kyrie’s contribution, although without wins, has been effective - averaging 22.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists in the last five games.

How does James Harden's absence impact the Brooklyn Nets?

Harden struggled at the start of the season in terms of scoring, but had started playing more like himself as the season progressed. For the season, he is averaging an impressive 22.5 points, 8 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game.

Before Kevin Durant’s injury, many around the league even considered the Brooklyn Nets as favorites to make it from the East. But, Durant’s injury, followed by Harden’s hamstring troubles have put them in a tough spot.

James Harden missing more games could be very costly for the Brooklyn Nets, as it will further hurt their playoffs chances – putting them in a position where they will need to enter the playoffs through the Play-In tournament route.

After the Celtics game, Irving will be available for a two-game road trip against the Wizards and the Heat. But home games were supposed to be left to James Harden to handle, in the absence of Durant. That will be something that Steve Nash will have to find a solution for.