To say that Harden only looks for fouls and not score is a pretty weak argument. An "and 1" is always better than just 2 free throws. He gets fouled when he drives. Howard gets fouled just trying to get position but will get an offensive foul when he finally does. The NBA has gone out of its way to protect the offensive player on the perimeter but for some reason when it comes to Harden and Howard in the paint—lately at least— they're on their own. Especially Howard, dude gets treated like he's playing with children and needs to go easy. Regardless, it should be good training for the playoff style play. That's optimism speaking.
reach in fouls don't exist, it's usually a block (ie hack), but since it's the off arm outside the cylinder of his body, that doesn't apply, if he ends up locking the arm it'd become a hold though
I know reach-in foul isn't suppose to be a real call (although they call it on Pat all the time). However if the arm is reaching across Harden's body while he is driving, that should fit the description of a blocking foul.
I'm sure they complain about KD too, but let's be honest he's a bigger star right now. There is also a subset of teams that don't like the Rockets philosophy, and think it hurts the game, so are probably more interested in going after us.
They could make the games more entertaining by calling fouls the same way regardless of the player in question. Unless it's dangerous (head hits, undercuts in the air, etc) let them play.
I'm glad he's getting less calls because I believe the main reason he struggles in the playoffs is because he doesn't get the same calls. I rather have him adjust/figure out now than cry in the playoffs
James needs to adjust. He wont be getting calls in the playoffs. He needs to learn or be aware of when refs wont give him calls and when they will.
He's driving aggressively to the basket. Whether or not he's LOOKING for the foul is debatable, but I wouldn't call it p***y, that's for sure. He definitely DOES get hacked, and on those instances, he SHOULD be going to the line. That's the rules. The thing I'm tired of the most is these referees seeing obvious fouls and letting them go because of agendas. Call it the way it happens.....not the way you want the storyline to be. I'm not sure how Harden can adjust, but if it entails him becoming more of a jump-shooter, I'm completely against it. He's strong, agile, and can finish with the best of them. He needs to keep being aggressive. Eventually, the refs will have no choice.
Exactly. Why does it always seem like it's OUR guys that get complaints filed against them?? Yao, Tracy, Dwight, and Harden have ALL had complaints filed against them, while guys like LeBron, Durant, Chris Paul, and Curry get away with murder on both ends of the court. Now it's gotten to the point where freaking Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler are getting superstar calls, while our guys get screwed. AGENDAS.
Why would you be glad that the rules magically change? If you had a thriving business and doing things a certain way and next thing you know, you are not allowed to do those things anymore without any laws or bills being passed because your competitors complained, wouldn't you cry foul too? This like the past decision of not allowing dunks because player X was so dominant. We all know that turned out to be a stupid rule change. A foul is a foul regardless if it's little league or NBA playoffs.
Good post. There are times I get frustrated with Harden when it's clear that he's looking for contact and a whistle first and a good shot attempt second. But he doesn't seem to do that as often as he has in the past. His style of drive just begs to get raked across the arms, which is a legit foul. I truly believe this decrease in trips to the line is a reaction from so many teams complaining about it. Like someone mentioned earlier Kevin Martin had the same thing happen. And yes, great players find ways to adjust. But that doesn't make ignoring fouls acceptable. Overcompensation.
Officials are treating him differently and teams are defending him differently. Harden needs to look at the taps from this month and change up his game a bit. Bottom line he needs to adjust and Mchale needs to find other creative ways to getting him the ball.
These are sentiments exactly. For too long, as Rockets fans especially, have we had to endure officiating bullcrap. From them calling ticky-tac fouls on Olajuwon while Shaq runs him over, to Yao Ming getting hacked, bullied, and sometimes bloodied in the post with no call, to now ticky-tac fouls on Dwight (just because he's stronger than his opponent) and No calls on James Harden when he is clearly fouled. The rules are black and white either it's a foul or it's not. If hacking a player is now not a foul then; yes, Harden has to adjust. However, hacking a shooter, last time I checked, IS A FOUL. Refs have to adjust not Harden, not ANY NBA player for that matter. Rules are rules. That's the way it is.
This is blatantly untrue as Harden averaged the same amount of FT's in the playoffs as he does in the season.
This is spot on. People continue to say he needs to adjust, but for him to "adjust" that would essentially take away points in the paint and FTs. That's like 60% of his offense. Do you all really want Harden just taking mid-range jumpers and 3s? We have seen that play out before, and it normally does not end well. What makes Harden so special, is his ability to get in the paint as well as drawing contact. The solution is not for Harden to "adjust", but for the refs to simply call a foul a foul. It's not like he is looking for special treatment. Just call a foul when he gets raked across the arms. If they do that, then he will be at his normal 6-10 FTA/GM.
Thank you. Have all of you people saying, "He won't get those calls in the playoffs!" seen his FTA in the playoffs?? It's almost identical to what it is in the season. If he doesn't get those calls in the playoffs, it's because the refs are INTENTIONALLY ignoring the contact he takes on his drives.
Simple thinking. He gets higher FTAs because he drives more, and he shoots more. So basically he has to shoot more and drive more in order to get the same amount of FTAs in the Playoffs.
