I think this is were Chris Paul helps a lot. He doesn't have to go the FT line to score. He can make 3s. He can make those dreaded mid range shots. He can also finish with contact. We did get 25 more FTs than the Warriors. Curry got 0 FTs in the last couple games yet he still found a way to score. I mean people b**** about the refs, but they tend to swallow their whistles during the playoffs.
Dependent .. . on the refs to make the right call . . . ..expecting the Refs to call it fair is being dependent? Rocket River
if expecting the refs to call as fair of a game as possible then yeah. if the refs are going to call the game like how they did in that 3rd quarter, theres no reason you should be playing if the outcome is already predetermined. blatant terrible officiating should never be part of the game but the sad part it is. and last night was a clear example and hou suffered the consequences as a result The ft # is just another gimmick to take away from what really happened in that game and the average person will believe it
I think this is a really good/valid question.... Not sure I would say the Rockets are, but James Harden game 100% is. James' game is built on (for lack of a better word) "cheat codes". CFans will say that he's not liked or doesn't get respect because of the strip clubs, but the reality is 90% of the planet HATES the way he plays because its predicated on the opposite of textbook basketball. Exploiting the rule book (footwork on step back 3s, baiting the defender into fouls at the arc, creating contact and flailing arms on every single drive) is not a sustainable way to build toward a championship - anymore than exploiting tax law is a sustainable business model. The rules will change and not in your favor. A lot was made of James working on his game last summer like Hakeem used to do. What did James really develop over the summer other than the creative footwork on the side step 3 and hustling on D? What Hakeem used to work on, were fundamental UNSTOPPABLE moves that couldn't be defined or thwarted by referees (Curry works on the same with his unreal launch of a 3 that I'm pretty sure he barely touches). I'm not sure James has a real - balls to the wall, game is on the line, you HAVE to have this basket - move. He was asked to do a lot in this series, but to get paid like the man - you have to find different ways to will the team to victory. I'm not blaming James for anything, but it's extremely obvious that he's still "growing" and did NOT handle either 3rd Quarter well the past 2 games. If you're not getting calls, you're shot isn't falling and your cross court passes are telegraphed or the passing lane is being played - you HAVE to come up with something else that has a high probability of success without outside influence. I think he's capable, am just wondering how many more opportunities he gets to "take the next step". Not sure anyone else agrees, but there seems to be a self defeating level of frustration by our team when things don't go our way. And by "our way", I mean that the "cheat codes" aren't working. So I guess I should rephrase my first sentence - James' game is definitely built on ref dependence and the rest of the team seems to follow. That's why Paul is the only guy I can think of that works with James current game.
Yes, we are too dependent on the refs. In the playoffs we must play at a level to where it doesn't matter if the refs are there or not.
no because they have 4 guys doing 4 VERY different things. If they don't get away with what Curry does, Klay or Draymond or KD do their thing. We only have James/Chris. Eric's game is ALOT like James - so we don't really have 3 layers - we have 2.
Sorry Sam, I'm not tracking with what you're asking. I'm not saying the officiating in either of the past 2 games wasn't suspect. I am saying that we have a tendency to rely on "calls" to make us go. I don't think the Warriors do....I actually think its the opposite. Draymond relies on non calls but even when he does get called for being a douche, KD's game is there to cover, Stef's shot is there, Klay's shot is there. They are multi-dimensional and don't rely on any one particular facet to "have to work" to win a game.
James Harden’s game is heavily reliant on the refs, which sometimes works and sometimes doesnt. In the playoffs and with his rep, I think it can really hurt the team at times. I feel like he is more worried with contact.. just put the ball in the basket. That all being said, the refs since game 5 were pretty terrible, so in that sense, this question is moot
This is a really good point that I haven't thought about before. Huge difference between relying on whistles vs relying on no whistles. Relying on whistles to be blown when fouls are committed seems much rougher in the playoffs compared to relying on your fouls not being called.
65 wins number 1 seed WCF appearance. 7 games against the "most talented team of all time" i think they've done well with their dependence on the refs. the rockets maximized their talents. they don't have 4 all-stars, 2 scoring champions, 2 MVP's, 2 top 5 shooters. not much you can do when you're going up against that AND getting shafted by the refs.
The Warriors absolutely rely on lazy/bad/crooked reffing to make them go. Without the non-called moving screens, those wide-open looks from 3 dry up. Without the non-called lane violations on Green, the paint opens up. Without the non-called techs on Green for belligerently arguing with the refs and kicking guys in the nuts, they have to play without their best defender. The Warriors rely MORE on the refs than any team in the league, but at this point they know they have the refs on their side because they've been chosen by the league to be the heroes so little kids everywhere can worship Steph Curry. Bottom line: Both teams rely on the refs, but only one team has the refs in their back pocket, and Game 7 showed that's definitely not Houston.
what? they absolutely rely on the refs to swallow their whistles. just look at any of the games where the game is actually called even decent. they struggle and get frustrated and are completely taken out of their game. sounds familiar right? just go back to less than 24 hours ago
Read the post. There is a difference between relying on getting calls vs. relying on not getting calls. The Warriors game is NOT dependent on getting a call. Its dependent on so much movement, misdirection, etc. that they bank on fouls not getting called on them.
thats bc the warriors depend on the refs to not call all the stuff that needs to be called. as a results what happens, they benefit from it. so yes of course they do rely on the refs
