So after all Harden does get those calls in the playoffs as well

There were about 5 of them: 2 for Harden, 2 for Lou and 1 for Westbrook and I DESPISE it!! I understand players taking advantage of dumb referees, but it shouldn't be called in 90% of the cases. It's baffling how clear continuation on lay-ups and the take down on Capela's circus shot they need to use replay or say doesn't count, yet when someone reaches in on a player before shooting motion it's automatic FTs...the one where Harden hooks a player when there's a center setting a screen is the absolute worst though. How can they call that??

 

Gtfo

 

Not really. There was a drive with a few seconds in the first quarter where Harden tried to sell a drive to the basket for a foul and the refs refused to call it which resulted in a miss. From then on, Harden adjusted and everytime he drove it to the bucket he stopped looking for a call and finished itr and played through the contact hence everytime he attacked the basket he finished it really well instead of throwing his arms in the air looking for contact. I thought James why don't you do that all the time.

He was magnificent at attacking the basket.

 

Because it's a foul.

 

Nope and even when it is, it's a non-call, offensive foul or a non-shooting foul.

 

actually if you go up for a shot and there is contact...Its a foul.

 

His free throw rate for the game was .393, quite a bit lower than his regular season rate

But also had to do with how okc defended him. But that's part of it, teams can game plan better

 

Naw that should be called everytime. When the defender goes over the screen they are taught to attach to the hip so it's smart to take advantage of this and go straight up. It's not a flop. It's a good play. In years past Harden would seemingly go out of his way to initiate contact and flop instead of actually trying to score. The new refined Harden has cut much of that out and he has improved on taking advantage of defensive tendencies. I'd like to see more of that attacking from Harden going forward.

 

Usually players go up for the shot after the contact, which most of the times is initiated by the offensive player himself in case of the screen foul.

 

If your standing by the arc and the defender puts his hands out towards your chest and you raise up to shoot and he commits contact; that's a shooting foul.

This absolutely applies when curling around a screen. Just because you are fighting through a screen doesn't mean you get to put your hand out and block the shooting motion trajectory.

As long as it is a pure shooting motion it is a foul. It's up to the defender to not initiate the foul opportunity. A foul is a foul whether on a pull-up or around a screen.

If your talking about the body contact fouls around screens it's no different than when your driving fast for a lay up and decide to stop dramatically for a pull up. The chasing defender can't stop in time and runs into the shooter it is a foul. Body contact on a shooter is a foul. Doesn't matter whether it is on a drive or around a screen.

People just don't like it because the narrative against harden. If curry invented the move and used it with regularity, it would be lauded as a smart and savvy move rather than a cheap tacky foul.

 

On a FT's attempted per game basis, his numbers have more or less been the same regular season vs playoffs since joining Rockets. Obviously he averages a few more minutes per game in the playoffs...

Regular season free throws attempted per game - 10.2, 9.1,10.2,10.2, 10.9

Playoffs free throws attempted per game - 11, 8.3, 10.5, 9, 11

 

So true!!!! My sentiments exactly!

 

They get calls until GSW comes to town.

 

It's true it's a foul. But wouldn't be surprised if they change the rule somehow. Rip through move used to be a foul too.

 

Don't reach then

 

This should go in the other jinx thread about San Antonio..

 

Because that's how the NBA favors scorers and the show...Duncan was forcing a reach in 15 years ago, just saying...

 

Even Lou got the calls

 

Can't get fouled during a lay up drill.