Jame Harden's Game Saving Block on Dort! Clutch Defense!

Ah yes. Sorry didn't see that.

But wait, didn't Thunder get the ball after this play?

 

Great play James! You were stinking it up but still gave effort. Didn't quit and make a game saving defensive play. Props to you tonight.

 

Legendary. What an amazing play. More impressive than sinking a game winner.

 

I’m so proud of James. He was having one of his bad shooting nights, but instead of curling up and going away, he nutted up and found a way to win. That’s it. That’s what he’s been lacking thus far in his career and he showed so much growth tonight. Not only tonight, this whole postseason. So proud.

 

No the Rockets did and Covington was fouled for FTs.

 

Btw, it wasnt just the block that was amazing, it was also his presence of mind to do a mid air Jean Claude Van Damme split to avoid the ball thrown by Dort to avoid the ball out bounds of of him.

It didnt matter because Dort was out of bounds when he caught the ball but there was no way of Harden knowing it.

This was probably the only High IQ play by a Rockets player all night, and boy, was it a big one.

 

dam dort must feel very schitty after that mistake

 

I didn't see this post

Literally the stark block was the first thing that jumped to me when I saw the block.

But that was the finals and this is Rd1

Hopefully Russ is a little fitter and we can have a run at the Lakers

 

Dort had the fakest 30 points I’ve ever seen

if he had hit that shot, then so many Rockets fans would’ve went into hibernation for the next 5 years

 

Beautiful.

 

Don't forget, jumping away from Dort's body to avoid giving the refs an excuse to call a foul on him. You know Scott Foster was ready to make that call.

 

The thing, too, was the brain-dead move by SGA. Notice when Westbrook deflects CPP3's pass, it ends up in SGA's hands.. He dribbles around for a few seconds, and then whips the pass over to Dort.. but LITERALLY, CP3 is right there behind him, wide open for a 3. SGA never even looks at him, and instead throws it all the way over to Dort. now, not a TOTALLY stupid play, because Dort had some kind of voodoo spell cast on him last night.. and by the way, there is zero doubt in my mind that if Harden had NOT blocked that shot, it would have gone in and the Rox would have lost.

But still, the smarter play there would have been to just pass it three feet to CP3 for the open 3.

I'm glad he didn't though.

As good as the block was, I think my favorite part was Harden going into full Matrix mode, levitating in mid-air while doing the splits, as the ball sailed harmlessly between his legs. That was some seriously good kung-fu!

My wish: Rockets make a 'Levitating James Harden Bobblehead' now..

 

One thing about that block: Harden actually has a very good record as a defender in the final possession or two when he has a lead. We all know he has that gear where, for much of a game, he'll take a vacation on defense and conserve energy because he knows he needs to score on our next offensive possession, and the one after that, etc. But at the end of games, when we're ahead, and all he has to focus on is defense, he does it. He zeroes in on those defensive possessions the way he would normally focus on scoring.

 

crazy that after this play there were still 3 more fouls** and a turnover.


**really 2 fouls

 

Can someone make a video with all the calls of the game. Local tv broadcast , local radio and national broadcast. I just enjoy hearing the different reactions.