[Video] James Harden's crazy stepback three over Kyrie and Tatum

I saw the same thing except I initially started counting his second left as 0. Closer look seems to be what you said with it starting on the first right. I think fans and Bballbreakdown might have a problem with the fact that you can count the last left as negligible. In their minds, starting with the first right, the count would be - 0, 1, 2, 3.

I'm just amazed by this move in its very concept. The fact it has EVERYone including basketball junkies from both sides arguing where the gather started. The skill involved in this move is so underrated. I'm of the camp that says this would be considered a travel even after considering the gather (0, 1, 2, 3) but just by a hair. If he gathered the ball just less than a split second later after his first right, I think that's where we'd see a better case for a non-travel. This non-call was definitely not "obvious" even after you slow-frame it.

Suffice to say, Harden being the one to popularize this move is awesome and the fact that refs are essentially crediting it to him as a non-travel more often than not is mindblowing as a RocketsFan. Credits to him for working on this. By popularizing a move, he doesn't just come over night - he had to machinate it in-game over and over for the greater refereeing body to take a stance on the legality of the move and traveling in general. That's just awesome to watch over the course of this season and probably even last.

 

Why does ABC still use the old cartoon Rocket logo? First time I noticed it. lol

 

Agreed, but....

 

The dildo makes a return. That was awful to go with the those stripes on those hideous dark blue unis.

 

So that’s 2 travels out of his last few hundred step backs

 

Agreed, it was a travel imo too.

They didn't call the travel so they decided not to call the foul. Guess they tried keeping it fair!

 

Yep, 100% travel as I watch the replay in extreme slow motion. How did the refs miss that???

But seriously, I didn't notice it at all in real time and neither did the announcers.

Basically, the footwork is so fast and natural looking 99% of the time, the refs will basically just have to occasionally guess that he traveled, or just start calling it all the time. I really hope he doesn't have another egregious travel that is missed in the regular season that affects an important game. Refs are going to get a directive from the NBA front office, and then we're doomed.

 

I wonder if the travel stepback will bite the Rockets in the playoffs like Yao’s “illegal screen” did in the 2004-05 Mavs playoffs series...

 

Yea I bet not calling the foul was a way of balancing out that travel lol

 

HarGawd does work in mysterious ways.

 

I have good news for you!

 

Clear travel so fans should accept both sides: they won’t call everything and will let other stuff go. It’s about entertainment and the show, it’s not an integer league.

 

That's a travel but I also love that he got away with it.

Like when the bank robbers get away.

 

Wah Wah. If the ref didn't go toot toot. Then it is a 3 and a W.

 

If you’re counting second left step as 1, it’s a travel. The final right and left step would have to be simultaneous to count as a single second step.

 

Just an incredible shot. Yet another one that has me wondering how in the hell he made it. As for whether it was a travel? Considering the countless times James was hacked during that game and didn't get the call, I simply don't care.

 

Harden is an absolute magician when it comes to that gather step this one is borderline and may have been a travel but in real time that is an impossible call to make

 

We have the benefit of hindsight and frame by frame replay. It's hard to see all that real time

 

Not a travel.

 

It's essentially a reverse hop step. While "technically" your supposed to land simultaneously, you can land in quick succession as long as you leap off both feet simultaneously.