What landing space is harden entitled to? The first one with the red line, he’s bringing his feet forward into Klay
those are closer, imo. the play that got them all upset should have been called an offensive foul for the leg kick, though. the league is going to have to address this over the summer. how far forward can you jump on a jumpshot? how much space are you entitled to in order to land? i will say this: watch harden shoot when open, then watch him shoot when guarded. it's clear he's hunting the contact. and THAT is what the league needs to eradicate. nobody wants to watch people initiate contact and look for FTAs instead of just trying to make basketball plays. this is why nobody likes harden (or paul) outside of houston.
I haven't watched much of the playoffs but I did watch a bit of the end of the GS/Harden game.The problem with the argument that Harden doesn't have a landing spot is his shot moves him 2 feet forward. On the clip Punk just showed the first shot Harden does a step back and then shoots where his momentum takes him forward? How the hell can he create both actions and the defender not be in his "landing spot" even if the defender goes straight up and down? On the play at the end of the game Harden clearly sticks both legs out to get the contact. I think the defender actually jumped to the side of harden but the contact was made because of hardens kick out. It is a joke that Hou is arguing about that especially seeing how many blatant push-off elbows James gets away with in the game. Houston is going to shoot themselves in the foot if they keep complaining because the league will look into the officiating and see how dirty they play. Chris Paul is a dirty player. Harden would foul out a game in 3 minutes if they called him like everyone else. Golden State literally can beat them like a drum if they wanted. For me Hou is not going to win this series and really has little shot at it UNLESS GS pretty much craps the bed and beats themselves. Personally I think Beverly pissed off KD to the point where KD is going to make it a point to destroy teams. Like his new fake tough guy attitude or not the man is still the best player on the floor out there. The rest of the guys can get hot but I think KD is on a mission to leave GS with no doubt that he wasn't just a "ring chaser" as people keep saying. I will be happy to see Hou eliminated. Still a lot of games to play and anything is possible but I don't really give Hou a shot to beat GS.
wish i shared your optimism, puff. houston has beaten the warriors more often than not over the past two years--especially when paul's been available--and they almost won game 1 on the road. they somehow got people's sympathy for poor officiating--something that could spawn unthinkable consequences. plus, klay and steph aren't 100%. add all the mental fatigue (the turnovers!) and general malaise, and it's a recipe for disaster. they're the better basketball team, but they frequently do not play their best, and their opponent was built very specifically to beat them.
nobody in the national press is taking harden to task on his offensive fouls that set up the weird landing situations. if he wasn't allowed to create the initial space physically, would we even be concerned about the rest?
Hopefully GS sweep them OAKLAND — This Houston Rockets rage was not about one game. This wasn’t about Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, where they fell 104-100 to the Golden State Warriors and left Oracle Arena utterly convinced yet again the defending champions are getting the benefit of the whistle to a devastating degree. This wasn’t about emotion — though there was plenty. Mike D’Antoni getting his technical in the third quarter, when he chewed on official Zach Zarba’s left ear like it was a rib-eye and nearly got tossed. Chris Paul losing his cool in the late third quarter, and again near the end regulation when he was ejected after the latest no-call left him incensed. James Harden, whose poor shooting night (9-of-28) had everything to do with all those times he believed he should’ve been sent to the line, wanting to rip his beard out at all those points in between and saying afterward that he just wanted “a fair chance.” Rockets general manager in Daryl Morey, whose reputation as a leader of the analytics movement is rooted in his ability to let the evidence guide one’s process, sharing his emotional reaction to it all via Twitter when he retweeted Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban after the game. Daryl Morey ✔ @dmorey Been working on things since 2006 ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Mark Cuban ✔ @mcuban 2 minute report is going to be very interesting tomorrow. Will tell you so much about the management of the nba officiating group 2,834 3:26 PM - Apr 28, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 747 people are talking about this No, this was about the NBA’s most analytically minded organization deciding long ago that all the data in this heavy-hitter matchup proves their point: The Warriors, as they see it, are getting the kind of officiating edge that simply must be stopped. And Game 1 – which was refereed by Zarba, Josh Tiven and Courtney Kirkland – confirmed their fears that this playoff battle with the Warriors might be just as painful as the last when it comes to the officiating. By the Rockets’ internal count from their video crew, there were eight attempted 3-pointers that should have been fouls in Game 1 – good for 24 free throw attempts that would’ve certainly decided the game. There was insult added to injury on that front as well, with D’Antoni and Harden both saying officials told them at halftime they had missed foul calls on four Rockets 3-point attempts. But make no mistake, this is much bigger than one game. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, the Rockets have been making a data-driven case with the NBA for quite some time that these Super Team Warriors are getting a major officiating advantage in these heavy-hitter matchups. And of all the specific examples that have been discussed with league officials, none has left them more suspect of the system than the 2018 Western Conference Finals. This series opener, more than anything, was salt being poured directly into that Rockets wound. When that series ended nearly a year ago, the Rockets’ research had just begun. They secured the play-by-play officiating reports from each game from the NBA – a service that is afforded to individual teams (teams aren’t given reports for other teams, which makes it hard to compare). These reports document the league’s verdict on correct calls and missed calls in the same way as the Last Two Minute reports that are shared publicly, with the obvious difference being that it accounts for all 48 minutes of action. And after the Rockets went through every line, tallying all the missed calls for each team and adding up the potential points that were lost along the way, it wasn’t pretty: The Rockets, according to the sources, had a double-digit point deficit in six of the seven games (and a small edge in Game 2). In all, sources say, they were harmed to the tune of 93 points. Game 7 was the worst, the research showed, with the league-issued report indicating they should have had 18 more points. More specifically, two of the 27 consecutive missed 3-pointers that did them in were ruled to have been missed foul calls. What’s more, the same “landing space” play that had the Rockets furious after Game 1 was a major point of frustration during that series – especially after their Game 7 loss, and with D’Antoni as upset as anyone over the matter. As detailed in this “NBA Video Rulebook” breakdown, defenders are required to allow shooters to “safely return to the floor.” The vertical jump shots are the easiest to officiate, but the rule also applies to plays in which the shooter’s momentum carries him to a spot that’s different from where the jump originated. The historical backdrop of this debate wasn’t lost on Rockets officials, either: In September 2017, the NBA instituted a rule that allowed officials to call a flagrant or technical if the defender “recklessly positioned his foot in an unnatural way” under the shooter; the rule was inspired by then-Golden State center Zaza Pachulia’s placement of his foot under Kawhi Leonard during the 2017 Western Conference Finals, when the then-San Antonio star had his season ended by that ankle injury. “Call the game how it’s supposed to be called and that’s it,” Harden said. “And I’ll live with the results. … We all know what happened a few years back with Kawhi. That can change the entire series. Just call the game the way it’s supposed to be called and we’ll live with the results. It’s plain and simple.” To that end, the Rockets also believe another one of their allegations was confirmed yet again in Game 1: The notion that the league’s more experienced officials are far less willing to call this play in accordance with the rules, as compared to younger officials. Sources say the Rockets raised this research-inspired complaint with the NBA months ago, and it didn’t help matters in their eyes that this game fell right in line with that theory (Zarba is in his 16th season, Tiven is in his ninth, and Kirkland is in his 19th). When Morey sent that tweet, which will likely lead to his latest fine, the “2006” mention sparked an obvious flashback: Cuban’s Mavericks lost to Miami in the 2006 Finals, which remains among the most controversial in the league’s history when it comes to the officiating. But there was another key event that year as well, as Morey left the Boston C Bags to join the Rockets as an assistant general manager in April 2006 en route to building this team he wants so badly to end this Warriors run and win the franchise’s first title since 1995. If they don’t get the calls they believe they deserve this time around, though, this debate will likely rage on into yet another disappointing finish. — Kelly Iko contributed to this report. (Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images
lol: our internal accounting system says you jobbed us last year. so, stop it. is this organization for real? what if every opponent of yours did the same accounting?
What Harden does on these shot is disgusting. If he came straight down it wouldn’t be an issue. Hell, if he came down a little bit forward, a foot even, like some shooters do on their shot, it wouldn’t be a problem. But he comes down and at the very end he kicks his legs out to the point of almost being horizontal. It’s not a foul, it’s not even close to a foul, it’s actually closer to an offensive foul as he’s kicking Draymond in the shins. I’m glad the refs didn’t reward this garbage, and I hope they continue not to going forward, because playoff games especially shouldn’t be decided by this nonsense. Harden hit a legit game winner surrounded by defenders earlier this season, he should try to do that rather than aim for the foul above all else and maybe the shot had a better chance to go in instead of him getting fouled or even trying for the crazy 4 point play. This garbage is why the Rockets cannot win it all though, if Harden gets a ring it turns me off to the league and it should do the same for plenty of other people. The NBA has enough other superstars that it can stop allowing Harden to do this and still be ok.
i mean, we were supposed to have taken care of this a while ago: https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ball...ule-order-punish-shooters-161207912--nba.html to your other point: yeah, giannis is way more fun to watch and likeable, but they let the C Bags rough him up a bit. fix that. twerps.
I remember that rule being put in place, but they only enforced it for a year or two, and since then it’s been sparingly. I can’t remember what player initially caused them to put that rule in though. It should be re-enforced now because of Harden, but it’s pretty much too late because the NBA has allowed this too long and created a monster with him. The best they can do now is not call these things on Harden as offensive fouls, but do like they did last night and just not call the foul at all.
they could uncreate the monster. they invented rules to repudiate kobe, who just continued to kick a** unabated. are they afraid maybe harden can't?
My guess would be yes. But I think the actual issue is they’re afraid to look bad and to admit they have been letting Harden get away with murder and ruin the game for his entire time in Houston. They could have stopped this nonsense/monster a few years ago, but they let it go on. They said they’d put in rules against kicking out the legs, but they didn’t enforce them, they said they’d implemented rules against flopping, but they didn’t enforce them except an occasional retroactive “oopsie we missed that one”. The entire thing is a f****** joke and to admit that this far along for a star they’ve propped up and helped big time along the way, a former and maybe soon to be 2 time league mvp (god forbid Finals MVP too) would be too much for them. Plus the NBA hated Kobe, the media hated Kobe, fans of every other team hated Kobe. Refs seem to love Harden, the NBA advertises the hell out of him, fans make excuses for him. So yeah, the only out I see is what I saw last night, make that bs non-calls until he stops or until he gets so frustrated he starts getting techs and getting tossed and maybe he’ll start to knock it off when the actual series is on the line. The sad thing is in all this that he IS good enough on talent alone for the most part to not need all the extra BS. Another thing that just occurred to me is maybe the NBA is cool with propping up Harden more in the regular season, and less cool with it when the the title is on the line, because realistically whoever wins this series wins the title. The playoffs have always in my memory been more physically as a whole than the regular season, and less ticky tack stuff and nonsense has been allowed. It’s entirely possible (in my imagination and wildest dreams) that the NBA told the refs to let the players play more and call the Harden nonsense less because it’s a bad look for the NBA if a team gimmicks its way to the title. I hope.
I don't think it is "optimism" at all. Houston has Harden. All hate aside, Harden pretty much can't be stopped offensively even without all the ref love. And that is it. Houston can not stop the better player on the other team which is, at present, KD. Curry even hobbled is going to drop a 20 point quarter. Klay even hobbled is going to drop a 20 point qtr. Even if Houston was built to beat GS the fact is Houston hasn't beaten GS enough when it mattered which is playoffs. A Coach D'antoni team is going to try and outscore everyone. Do we really think Hou can outscore the Warriors 4 games out of 7? I don't think they will be swept but GS is going to just keep increasing their output. Clippers gave GS the scare. That was the worst thing that could happen for Houston.
NBA playoffs.... Need a game tying basket with less than a minute left.... Defender is sent away with a clear offensive foul by pushing off... wide open 3 at the top of the key... Instead of using perfect form and a killer instinct... A pseudo seizure hits, legs flailing around, shot has no chance at going in.... Nothing but backboard... Tears flow, angry glares and looks of disbelief to the ref who is looking back shaking his head... Game over.... ESPN 30 for 30: A Fair Chance, The James Harden Story
I think he would shoot better without all the antics. He literally costs himself shots going in probably by doing stuff like he did on that 3 to tie last night.
Eh, think of all the misses and turnovers erased by bad calls in his favor. Plus the confidence gained by having the refs in your pocket--as evidenced by the "fair chance" delusion. There's not more than meets the eye to harden--there's less.
42% FG, 32% 3PT career playoff averages. Harden gasses out every year. Only one postseason shooting above 45% (when he took 8 shots per game in year 2) 10 years in the playoffs, I think he’s had his fair chance. Refs been dogging him for 10 years? He’s a bum in the playoffs plain and simple.
