Zach Lowe: Warriors cheat in a better way than the Rockets

the problem for silver and his media whores tasked with shaping the league's narrative, is that the players know the truth. and the vast vast majority of players are going to side with harden over his entitled douches and crooked zebras. silver's days are numbered

 

I don't think Lowe is patting anyone on the head. I think he is just saying that a big part of the reason for the reactions that people (including refs) are having to this whole thing is largely based on that assumption that Warriors basketball is beautiful and correct, while Rockets basketball is an eyesore and founded on manipulation.

ZL isn't making the case that it is right; he is just analyzing what he sees actually happening.

 

It's very simple, you're praised for taking advantage of the ones that make things more exciting for the casual fan. Like travels, 3 seconds, etc.

The thing is, I don't care. If it gets us closer to a win, we do it and take the heat. F 'em all.

 

The Warriors are defining ways to play for everyone else in the league, because the NBA has already greenlit their style. Everybody employs moving screens now as a result. Remember when Dwight used to get called for any slight movement on his screen in 2014? Contrast that to now when Draymond can stick his elbow out or forearm shiver anyone that gets within his striking zone.

The NBA wanted Curry to be its face. They changed the rules to make a guy with his body type a viable candidate for best player in the league. It's all a big show.

 

I don't see it. They're getting lucrative contracts and insane endorsement deals in a coddled league. I don't see them rocking the boat.

 

morey has leaked the league's own data detailing the series last year was rigged. now there is a massive blowback media blitz targeting the rockets, particularly harden. you're right that the players are going to think with their wallets first. but the cat being out of the bag is enough for them to question WTF are they even competing for. over time silver won't be able to get that cat back inside the bag, especially w/ regard to players' twitter/insta/etc

 

This would be my hope. But I just don't see it.

 

Am I reading this right? Warriors knowingly break established rules = good. Rockets "break" "rules" that haven't been invented yet = bad.

Sure sounds like a pseudointellectual way of coming back to the stupid "right" vs "wrong" basketball argument everyone is parroting.

 

i see it for one reason. these guys are all spending thousands of hours working on their game. nobody who does that in any trade/profession is going to just sit idle & quiet after it becomes known the whole thing is just an illegitimate farcical sham

 

How stupid must be the refs be to be falling for Harden’s “tricks” since 2012? Every year they send him to the line 10+ times a game on average. They watch film too, so how are they still falling for Harden’s “tricks?”

Harden is actually getting fouled, but in the postseason, all of the sudden the refs do bird box challenge and start calling nothing which is absolute BS

 

Yes this is semi-accepted by the hottake industrial complex - nobody minds that at all.

 

Not sure why this is even an issue. The refs in game 1 confessed they blew multiple undercutting calls in the first half.

In game 2, the one clear undercuttign play (don't think the Warriors didnt' realize they had to play it less risky in game 2), the Rockets correctly recieved 3 free throws. If they had called this on any of Klay's multiple undercuts in game 1, which they realized - we wouldn't even be here.

Conclusion: The Rockets were right, the Warriors/Refs were wrong.

 

Huh? Where?

 

Harden used to get hammered inside in the playoffs and not get calls. He's adapted by developing an unblockable 3-pt. shot and he's in the process of developing a floater to use inside. The league has responded by allowing defenders to hammer him on the outside on his stepbacks, too, as well as maintaining the non-calls on the drives. Basically, the league is punishing a guy for working on his game too well.

 

The media controls the narrative. When Kobe use to commit charge fouls on Yao Ming they would call it mamba/killer instinct. When Harden legit gets fouled by beating his defender they call it ruining the game.

 

Not really. They are both depending on the refs not calling certain infractions. Harden has gotten away with more uncalled travels than have been incorrectly called on him -- just not to the degree that a lot of people think. He has gotten away with more uncalled push offs than have been incorrectly called on him. Harden probably gets away with more foul line violations than any other player in the league -- the refs just usually let it go.

We don't need to go to the other extreme and pretend like we're doing everything the right way and its the Warriors that are trying to subvert the rules.