James Harden sits as Nets take on Golden State

It seems as if the moment the Nets get one superstar back, another goes down.

As Kyrie Irving got set to play his longest stretch with the team this season — five straight games as part of the Nets’ West Coast trip, including Saturday night’s game against Golden State — Steve Nash was forced to sit James Harden, who reported discomfort in his right hand Saturday morning. It has been bothering him for days and he likely aggravated it.

An MRI showed no severe injury but was not completely clean, Nash said.

"Clean of the bad stuff but a strain for sure," he said. "There’s stuff on the MRI and he’s feeling something, feeling the strain. It’s been bothering him but [he was like], ‘Eh, it’s nothing’. But now it’s more than nothing and he woke up with a marked difference in the hand."

Harden, who missed the Nets’ previous game against the Nuggets because of left hamstring tightness, likely irritated his hand while shooting and lifting at practice Friday, Nash said. He added that Harden’s hamstring appears to be completely healed.

The Nets, who already were down Kevin Durant, who is nursing an MCL sprain and isn’t expected back until after the All-Star Game, have played only three games with their Big 3 intact. Joe Harris, recovering from ankle surgery, also has experienced a setback, and it’s not clear when he’ll make his return.

Nash said Harden's hand had bothered him "for a few days, at least."

"He thought it was nothing and then it really flared up this morning when he woke up so, obviously, he [further] irritated what he was feeling yesterday and this morning he woke up with some [more] irritation," Nash said. "It’s unfortunate."

Harden has played in 42 of the Nets' 48 games, outpacing Durant (36) and Irving (eight, including Saturday).

By Laura Albanese

laura.albanese@newsday.com@AlbaneseLaura

Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.