MVP candidate James Harden has been forced off injured again in his return match as the Brooklyn Nets triumphed 114-112 over the New York Knicks on Monday.
The shooting guard had missed two matches with hamstring tightness and he departed early on Monday with awareness in the same hamstring.
Kyrie Irving scored 40 points in Harden’s absence, with the Nets also without Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin also due to injuries.
“Very similar to last time, just an awareness of something’s not right in his hammy,” Nets coach Steve Nash said.
“His scan was clean as we reported, his strength tests when he came back in the locker room were normal so it’s just something where we have to protect, have to trust him.
“Very frustrating for James but we can’t risk it if we can afford not to.
“That depends on trust between us and James and making sure he feels comfortable in the decision, and I thought the right decision was not to take any risks.
“Who knows? This may linger. It may be all behind us like we thought it was before the game.
“But it’s just one of those things where the scan is clean, the strength tests are clean, but he feels something, so were going to err on the side of caution.”
Nash said Harden was tested inside the locker room and appeared OK with strength testing.
Elsewhere on Monday, the Utah Jazz’s winning run came to an end losing 111-103 to the Dallas Mavericks who were led by Luka Doncic.
Gary Trent Jnr scored a three-point buzzer beater as the Toronto Raptors beat the Washington Wizards 103-101.
The Phoenix Suns won 133-100 over the Houston Rockets to keep up their good form in the West, led by Devin Booker with 36 points.
