If Harden and Paul are so good that they can influence the defender into committing what is a defensive foul by the rulebook, then shouldn't that be more power to them? It's not their job to telegraph intent (or lack thereof) correctly in foul situations. That line of reasoning gets you down a very slippery slope. For example, what if a player tries to rebound a ball but goaltends instead, yet refs don't call a goaltend because the player didn't intend to goaltend? What if two players make the same goaltend move, but only one gets called because he has a "history and reputation" of goaltending while the other player doesn't?
I went back and look at the video. There wasn't a good view on WB eye, but I wonder if WB even saw CP3 until the very last moment. You can see that WB was moving toward the left of CP3 and changed to the right of CP3. I don't think CP3 would anticipate the WB change from left to right at the very last moment that fast. If CP3 wanted to pick up a foul on WB, he would moved to his left, not to his right. It looks like his slight rightward movement is normal for balancing and protecting the ball from an approaching WB to his left side. This should have been a no call and a play on since CP3 didn't fall down and didn't lose the ball. I think this was called an offensive foul because of how hard WB hit the floor. Very BAD call considering the Thunder were scrambling after a TO to defend the Rockets.
It was #savage AF, no doubt. I LOL every time I watch it. But CP went too far mocking, tbh. CP wouldn't do that in a playoff game. The fact that he went to that length, tells you the Rockets weren't taking the OKC game "too" seriously.
Very simply, Paul got called because he was backing it up into Westbrook, not just slowing it down. He was backing the wagon up. Westbrook is entitled to that space, even if it is behind Paul. (Have fun with the jokes.)
