James Harden and the Rockets found themselves at the center of attention in the NBA Sunday, coming up short against the Warriors in a 104-100 road loss in Game 1. Harden struggled shooting the ball and finished just 9-of-28 from the field, partially a result from several questionable no-calls on his attempted three-pointers.
Of the 28 shots Harden attempted, 16 of them were from 3-point range. There were multiple shots where Klay Thompson or another Warriors player dangerously over-extended on the play, giving him little-to-no space to land.
“They missed four of them. That’s 12 foul shots,” an irritated Mike D’Antoni said postgame of the officiating.
D’Antoni mentioned the officials admitted their wrongdoings at halftime, vowing to take a closer look at whether Harden was being fouled. The final play of the game saw Harden attempt a three at the top of the key and receive contact from Draymond Green, with no call being made. The case could be made that Harden extended his legs out in a flopping motion on the shot, but the officials were still ripped by several team figures and fans.
“I just want a fair chance, man,” Harden said. “Call the game how it’s supposed to be called, and that’s it. I’ll live with the results. Especially because we all know what happened a few years back with Kawhi [Leonard], and that could change an entire series. Just call the game how it’s supposed to be called and we’ll live with the results. It’s plain and simple.”
The Rockets have a chance to bounce back and take Game 2 on Tuesday night, which is also set to commence from Oracle Arena.
There’s more out of Houston tonight:
- Chris Paul was ejected at the end of Game 1 after picking up his second technical foul. Paul argued a no-call and appeared to make slight contact with the referee, something the league has issued suspensions for in the past. Should Paul be suspended for Game 2, it would be a crushing blow to a Houston team still hoping to steal homecourt advantage in the series. “I don’t know yet,” Paul said when asked if he made contact with the official, admitting that he hadn’t watched the replay yet. “He just called a tech and that was my second.”
- Daryl Morey‘s new plan for the Rockets is peaking at just the right time, Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle writes. Players such as Carmelo Anthony, James Ennis and Michael Carter-Williams started the season with Houston, but Morey and his staff made the decision to move on from each of them to seek other talent. In turn, they brought in the likes of Austin Rivers, Danuel House and Kenneth Faried. “It’s very odd,” Morey said. “When we sign people, we make a commitment to them and we want it to work out. Quite a few didn’t work out this year. I would prefer not to make all those changes, but the reality was it wasn’t working. We got Chris (Paul) and James (Harden) in his prime, and it’s unacceptable to not do everything we can to make sure we’re maximizing their presence.”
- Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle details how Kelvin Sampson — college coach of Eric Gordon — helped Gordon take a turning point in his first collegiate game that still affects his career today. “On a whim, I told him to guard the point guard,” Sampson said. “Pick up him up 94 feet. Eric asked me what I meant and I told him, ‘turn him as many times as you can.’” Gordon is recognized as one of the most underrated defenders within the Rockets, continuing to improve as his career progresses.
“Do everything we can”, says the team that did everything in their power to duck under the luxury tax.
“when blaming the refs is really about you sucking” 2019 rockets
Paul knocks ball away from Durant from behind. No call. SAME PLAY CURRY GOT A FOUL FOR. Paul shoots 3 and then lays over in midair turning into the defender and wants a foul. Gets a T. Paul runs Thompson over on loose ball at the end and gets a T.
Harden lands in spot where Thompson was going to land and harden wants a foul. Every gripe Houston had was completely bogus and in fact could be argued that they should have been called for fouls.
It’s the rule that’s been established all year. The defender cannot make contact with the shooter within his landing zone. Harden exploits that but it’s the rule. It was obvious that Golden State was purposely turning their backs and backing into JH trying to conceal the foul on a few of those. And exploiting the rules – just look at Durant (and CP) everytime they raise up through a defender’s arms to draw a foul. It’s cheap but it’s the rule. The talk after the game from several athletes was that those have been fouls all year – why not now?
Harden threw his legs at green. Hardens landing spot was available. That’s the rule, hence the nba saying green did not foul cuz green DID give harden a place to land
This dude harden jumps forward 2ft every time he shoots. As a shooter ur entitled to the specs u shoot from not a 2ft radius around u. If u get that ur ungaurdable. Harden always fishing for a foul tryna find a loophole in the rules. Good no-calls
Beard Face never gets called for his illegal push off with his arm as he goes into his shooting motion…. he and Paul tend to flex their bodies into the defender in order to draw a foul… the majority of the “questionable” calls were borderline…the refs let both teams play….crying from BOTH sides….Warriors in six or less
Warriors got the refs paid off good man
They didn’t pay very much because of all the calls that went against them. How many Harden push offs were not called? How about Curry 5th foul all ball! Looney gets a push off by harden but he gets the foul call.
Then Paul fouling Durant with no call. A play which got curry the fifth foul. Plus Paul ran over Thompson and no foul. PAUL GOT AWAY WITH 2 FOULS. And still whined and PUSHED the ref.
It’s not a foul when you kick your leg out looking for contact.
But it is when you push off…continually
That last 3ptr was not a foul IMO, and also 1 or 2 of the first-half ‘controversial’ threes. Somebody who jumps straight up should not be at fault when a stationary shooter jumps into him.
I realize that is not the way the rule is written– the rule is that a player has a right to a clear landing– but it looked like the shooter was causing the contact by jumping forward.
Esp at the end of the game, Harden should have just aimed to make the shot. The call he wanted was not being made. He was given his thing during the season but these are the playoffs.
Exactly! And the Rockets just keep compounding on it with every article I read in regards to what they’re tryin to do here. It’s a bad look.
You would think GSW are good enough without the help from the refs… well seems maybe not!
Or the Rockets know they can’t win without forcing the refs to make fouls calls. If harden tried to shoot the ball in instead of throw his legs out they may have tied the game.
“Forcing the refs to MAKE foul calls”? Do you mean force the refs to do their jobs? I am not blind to the fact that Harden is a flopper, but he also doesn’t get nearly the amount of calls on the other side of the coin that he deserves. JH is 6’4″ or 6’5″ and plays like a big. Until the NBA alters the rules, the refs need to call the games within the CURRENT rulebook well.
harden leads the league by a big amount on foul shots. Harden pushes off all the time. His step back is a travel. The last shot was not a foul. Should I go on? Next up you will want a 5 foot rule that nobody can guard him within 5 feet.
That last shot of Harden’s was a definite flop, and a good no call. Does he realize that when he flops that obviously, it’s just going to make the refs question the next close call more?
Harden’s decision-making on that last shot also essentially validated the refs for three no-calls in the first half.
It doesn’t look good to take advantage of a rule designed to protect his own safety. Rule being, the clear-landing rule was extended to apply to stationary jumpshooters, not just finishers to the rim.
Actually I don’t usually mind so much when Harden takes advantage of dumb defenders on his drives. Survival of the fittest, etc. And he does have a talent for lateral movement, which throws off defensive stances.
Looks like the league has taken notice of the bs style of play that is Harden’s entire game. Somebody bumping your leg that you intentionally kick out trying to draw a cheap foul is weak. Harden is a weak player. He will be exposed for who he really is in this series, a volume shooter who isn’t effective if he doesn’t get a billion calls.
Long effin story short, harden shoots more free throws than anyone. And cheats to get them. So rockets fans and players whine when the rockets don’t get their usual way. Waaaa waaaa waaaa!