Honest take on non-foul calls and why Houston can still win

Here is the BS excuse:



Somehow because Harden's feet came forward it caused Green to contact Hardens armpit.

Also, the fouls were very obviously lopsided and that's the reason everyone is talking about it and not just the Rockets. The 3's were the most undeniable evidence, but there were several drives and inside plays which get a pass because "playoffs." Eric Gordon was getting hammered. It would be one thing if they were just allowing both sides to play, but we got touch fouls on the other end

 

two thoughts, that i'm sure have been repeated endlessly elsewhere:

1) call the playoffs the same way the regular season was called. now is not the time to make new rules.

2) if they made the calls earlier in the game, the whole complexion of the game is altered because Klay would be on the bench.

basketball is a game of rhythm, and the refs took harden out of his, with profound results.

also, it's hard not to see some collusion between the refs and warriors. the latter were clearly coached to jump into harden's space, and had no expectation they'd be called for it.

 

Damage control after Steve javie on live tv called out his own goons

 

Just from looking at the box score (fouls, free throws attempted), it looks like a pretty evenly officiated game by all appearances. To me, while the lack of foul calls in question here changes the complexion of the game, this game really came down to the Rockets not making enough shots. The mental impact...this is just something players have to play through. There was a ton of complaining by Harden and Paul last night. If you're talking to refs after plays all the time, then how focused are you on the task at hand? How many times did some of those 3 pointer shot landings where Harden flopped to try to sell the foul...did that hurt us on the other end because he was slow getting back (not sure but 4-on-5 is never good)? I think if the Rockets didn't get distracted by the officiating so much...we probably win this game. Three technical fouls in a playoff game giving them three points just can't happen.

Shut up and play!

 

I don't entirely disagree with him on the last play. Harden jackknifed and caused the contact on that one. On all of the others, I believe that Katy Thompson is intentionally trying to injure Harden. If you get those calls and he makes the free throws, the outcome likely changes.

 

Then how did Green and Harden end up going hip to hip?

 

Because Harden went further forward than he had on the previous instances and they already were obviously not calling it. Yes there was contact but that's not, by a long shot, the most egregious missed call in this game.

 

Harden does kick his feet out some, but look where Draymond jumps from. Green is well inside the 3pt. line when he jumps, and ends up well over the line toward James. Is this the most questionable call of the day? Yes. Does Green still jump toward Harden and into his landing zone? Yes.

 

ThIS IS THE ISSUE FOR ME: THE WARRIORS WERE COACHED TO INJURE HARDEN.

Sure, the Refs screwed up. But the Warriors clearly planned to undercut Harden in a very unique way.

The Warriors jumped toward Harden and twisted to have their back facing Harden when they undercut Harden. They did it time after time. This is something they clearly worked on and were coached to do. This unique way of jumping into Harden made it appear that Harden was jumping into the defender. Or, at least that was the way the refs were calling it.

When a defender repeatedly undercuts a player, they are clearly trying to injure the player. Or, at the very least trying to make the player fear injury. This is about as dirty as it gets.

This is how the Warriors have decided to try and defeat the Rockets. Dirty, dirty, dirty.

It's a shame the refs fell for this dirty strategy. Just remember Steve Kerr for this terrible unsportsmanlike strategy. Don't ever forget that this is how Steve Kerr chooses to try to win games. Dirty, dirty, dirty.

 

Oh, changing the argument. I agree it was not the worst call.
A shooter does not have to go up and down vertically. Many shooters jump forward on their shot. That is legal.

 

Green jumped from a foot inside the 3pt line to 1 foot outside the three, but somehow Harden's feet coming forward a little was the reason for the contact. You are allowed for your feet to come forward slightly on a jumper, and still deserve space to land. They show a bad angle so you cant see all the contact, and say the only contact was with the legs, but Draymond was leaning forward. His shoulder was farther under Harden then the legs. Look at Harden's armpit. Its clear that Dray jumped into Harden's space .

 

When it's on a 3pter to tie the game with under 10 seconds left and everyone should be watching....its pretty egregious

 

Changing the argument? I agree that they don't have to go up and down vertically. If you don't see Harden's legs going forward more than what would be considered normal, I'm not sure what else I can tell you. I'm a homer and I love my Rockets. But that one wasn't the one we should be complaining about.

I don't think it's that clear and IN MY OPINION, after watching the replay many times, I don't think this is the call we should have a problem with. Green (for whom I have a level of dislike I haven't had for another NBA player since karla malone and juanita stockton) definitely made contact but IN MY OPINION, Harden created it.

Maybe but every fan, reporter, player, anyone who's ever watched the game wants that to not matter. The circumstance shouldn't matter. They weren't calling it all game...why would they change that because of the time on the clock?

 

While Harden's feet went forward a bit yes, the main problems are:

1) Green did not jump straight up in front of Harden, he absolutely jumped forward.

2) Green and Harden's upper bodies and hips met, but his legs were in front of him.

That's not like jumping into a defender (which I hate after a fake shot).

Green definitely fouled him. Did Harden try to create contact? Maybe, but the motions show that contact was inevitable due to Green's movements, which was indeed a foul.

 

Ugh, can't wait till G2

 

Warriors are a dirty organization

Bogut , zaza , draymond .

Moving screens and injuries to other teams .

one of these days someone is gonna snap and GS will get what it has comin'

 

This is exactly correct. It’s moronic to think that a shooter needs to jump vertically without moving his legs forward or backwards. Harden is fading backwards so naturally his legs will kick forward just like Durant.

The bottom line is that the defenders are making contact with him and not allowing room to land. This is how people get injured. It would be different if the offensive player was jumping forward into the defender intentionally trying to draw a foul. You see this when a defender leaves his feet and the shooter jumps towards him to get a foul. Maybe that’s what Harden needs to do to get a call.

 

I wonder about this too.

The refs ADMITTED they got it wrong and I think even Harden tried to bait the foul there. I admit he baited with that last shot but he had to be thinking that he (RIGHTFULLY SO) deserved a makeup call after all the other like 5 missed ones.

The refs get off scott free then because Harden gets a chance at tying the game and if he misses one guess what people will say? "Well, he has no right to complain, all he had to do was hit his free throws." even people here would be saying that. The narrative over the game would have been different entirely had they given us that ONE makeup call.

 

It's also completely normal for a shooters feet to go forward.



Seriously, for anyone talking about the feet moving forward, just google "Sweep and Sway" or youtube you'll see a ton of videos on it.