I don't think we are going to be getting a lot foul calls in the playoffs. The rockets on a whole try to draw the foul instead of going for the shot. On occasion the refs have called that (Dwade), but in general they let the guy play out there during the playoffs. It might be too late now, but the rockets need to try to score instead of just hoping for a whistle.
Good luck with that. Difference is dwane was look for full body contacy, It's easier to sell fouls that way. Harden, on the other hand, sticks his arm out hoping for a foul to be called.
Euro-step to 20 fouls per game would be awesome...lol. The lakers game should be interesting to see. Joey Crawford officiating that game by chance? thats a shoe-in for a loss in a lakers home game.
I wish Harden would just try to focus on making the damn layup than getting contact all the time. He misses so many easy layups because he's too worried about contact. FOCUS MAN!
I think he's injured and tired. He's taking tough shots high off glass and missing them. It used to be that he would make more hard explosive moves at the basket and get easy short-range hoops. And when he was fouled, he would still finish for the and-1 by going high off glass. Maybe he's taking it easy for the playoffs though. I will pass judgments at the end of round 1.
Harden needs to work on his midrange game this summer...or at least he should perfect the accuracy of his midrange j....
ive said it all season, the refs have been giving harden a lot of love. in the playoffs, im not sure if that same love will be there. not knocking harden's game, but i dont want to have to rely on the eurostep in crunch time. in general id rather have him shoot, than rely on the refs.
Harden is the only Rocket that truly lives on the line. He has a very established playoff history. Every year he gets more FTAs/FGA in the playoffs than in the regular season. Granted, his FTA/FGA ratio in playoffs is usually what it has been this season.
The problem is when you go from aggressive team that draws alot of fouls to getting the reputation of being a "Floppy" team. Because refs scout teams just like the opposing teams do, and gameplan for their calls or non calls. If I was coaching this team I would tell guys like Harden and Lin to drive downhill in the lane aggressively, but try to make the shot first and foremost, and things will take care of themselves. NO FLOPS!!!
I can't say this about any rocket besides Smith, but if the refs scout Harden, they will see he draws a lot of fouls. A lot of fouls Harden gets is because the defender is not going up vertical with his hands. To go for the shot first and foremost, he would be giving the defender an advantage.
Harden's fouls are legit 99% of the time. However sometimes he does have the tendency though when he gets fouled to not try and finish the shop because its so obviously a foul. That's not really who Im worried about though with the flopping tendencies.
It's a bit frustrating to see Harden plow into a bunch of players in the post, hoping to get the foul. The shot looks like an afterthought. I don't recall him doing that as much, in the beginning of the year. Earlier, he actually tried to finish the shot. It kinda seems lazy and sloppy. He'll need to step it up in the playoffs.
Sometimes trapping the opponent is entertaining but to make going to free throw line the main goal is just against the spirit of the game. Nobody wants to see a free throw challenge instead of basketball. I think referees should allow more physical play underneath the basket. The only thing a defender can do is hold his hands up and jump vertically. NBA just wants to see better stats from superstars to sell them better but for real basketball fans it is not fun to see those free throw lane superstars to emerge. It is also killing the mid range jumper. I want to see more of a challenge rather than the speedy gonzales type of guys stealing the show.
Harden will step his game up, im worried that asik will get destroyed by two bigs all game without any refs calling anything. I'm also worried because some games Lin will take huge hits, like literally hits and land on the ground from 3-4 feet in the air and ive seen refs just stare at him and don't call fouls. Some days Lin and Harden gets foul calls that are deserved, and some days they both just get hacked and knocked down to death.
