If a player can "bend" the rules in a game when rules aren't really "bendable" than it means the NBA has an officiating problem, not that pop is a genius. I mean, I don't think anyone would call draymond green a genius, but he invented the nut kick that's never called.
There's no doubt the refs have taken away some calls this series. That said, we were probably getting too many cheap calls during the regular season. It's the playoffs, not exactly a surprise.
HARDEN lost the game plain and simple, he was trying to take shots while bricking them, the only two time in overtime we run a drive and kick, we hit two 3s by beverly and anderson, Harden is 0-5 for ISO 3s, you have to learn to trust the system you have been playing all year long, not trying to win the game by yourself
So let me get this straight . . . . . . Harden drives and gets horrible offensive foul call So . . . the Refs have effectively eliminated Harden's ability to drive He controled harden by playing a player that the REFS allowed to bend the rules With the REFS on your side. . . everyone can be a genius Rocket River
1. Harden Hero-Ball nonsense. 2. Harden Hero-Ball shenanigans. 3. Trash officiating... we did benefit from some calls but that charge call at the end of the 4th was absolute BS. 4. Gordon and Lou having poor games. Lou was ice cold from 3. They need to step in and facilitate when Harden is gassed and/or pulling a Westbrook. 5. Not executing the pick and roll. 6. Not taking advantages of the switched out players after a pick. 7. Getting murdered on offensive rebounds. There was one possession where I think they had 3 offensive rebounds in a row. 8. Need better player rotations.
We are still a piece or two away from being relevant. I like Harden. He is a special talent. As for the playoffs. He is yet to have that legacy building moment. Gassed or not. 7 man rotation or not. The Jordan's, Kobe's and Lebron's find a special zone. Does Harden have that? Times a ticking to find out.
I didn't realize it until now; I don't want to blame the refs for the general flow of he game, but that Simmons flop call was the true pivotal moment of the game. The refs usually don't call phantom contact in the last minute of regular season games, much less pivotal playoff games. Absolutely maddening. Harden hitched his shot due to the whistle and Bev was crashing for that short rebound. Without that 110% BS call, we don't have to be subjected to 5 more minutes of Harden hero ball meltdown.
I think he does, but it will only come via his rim finishing abilities or step back two abilities. But he goes full r****d and shoots a three at the end of 23 seconds of dribbling in one spot. Why.................
James is what he is....the loss of NENE was telling. Imagine him in there in overtime. Yes JH dribbled too damn much again....and so it goes. Thursday night is not gonna be a close out...go rockets ! please ?
Pop is a genius for letting Simmons, a nobody to put on Harden. And putting LaMarcus on Harden, they are telling Harden to shoot outside, or come inside and get baited my a guy that I never knew existed in Simmons. Remember another nobody baited Harden in getting Nene kicked out of a game. Pop knows game well because one of Harden's flaw is his beloved shooting like a Terminator and late-game non-passing skills. I love Harden, but mentally he has been played by Spurs.
It shouldn't have been close enough for OT to even be a possibility....atrocious keep it close policy.
Exactly, the refs did everything they could to keep them close, but we blew the lead ourselves with our stagnant offense and short rotation in an OT game.
Everytime he jacked a last second three after letting the air out of the ball I got more and more infuriated. Reminds me of a term Vernon Maxwell used a long time ago. Hero or Zero. Sometimes I think James just says f*ck it when things are going badly. Like Gordon and Lou not being able to hit the ocean from the beach. He just goes to his happy place and forgets about basketball.
