James Harden will sit out Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks due to hamstring tightness.

Nets superstar Harden hurt his hamstring during Saturday's 115-107 win over the Bucks in the NBA playoffs.

Harden lasted just 43 seconds after re-injuring the same hamstring which sidelined the former MVP for 21 of the final 23 regular-season games.

The second-seeded Nets will be without Harden for Monday's second showdown at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

"James Harden has been diagnosed with right hamstring tightness," the Nets said via Twitter on Sunday.

"He is listed as out for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals vs. Milwaukee. Further updates will be issued as appropriate."

As the star-studded Nets gear up for Game 2 in pursuit of a maiden championship, head coach Steve Nash told reporters: "He [Harden] 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 can time can tell how he responds."

In this season's playoffs, Harden has been averaging 23.2 points, a career-high 8.8 assists and 6.2 rebounds through six games.

He has also been boasting postseason career highs in field-goal percentage (55.6) and three-point percentage (47.5).