Brooklyn Nets’ James Harden ruled out for Game 2 vs. Bucks due to hamstring injury

Brooklyn Nets’ James Harden was ruled out for Game 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday because of a right hamstring injury. In a statement released Sunday, the Nets said Harden was diagnosed with right hamstring tightness. The expectation is for the team to monitor how his hamstring responds to treatment over the next few days. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Monday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Harden appeared to suffer the hamstring injury when he attempted to lob a pass over Bucks guard Jrue Holiday and center Brook Lopez early in the first quarter of Game 1. The 31-year-old Harden landed and immediately grabbed at his right hamstring, eventually leaving the floor for the locker room.

Nets head coach Steve Nash told reporters: “He has high hopes and he wants to be back ASAP. Now, I think we want to protect James, too. We want to make sure he’s right. This is playoff time. This is time to take some risks, but it has to be right to take those risks — we’re not going to take any old risk. So, we hope he’s back. He believes he can be back. But, we’ve got to see what happens and only time can tell how he responds.”