Pelicans vs Rockets

[redrum]

The players even know they are not allowed to guard Harden, just look at Holliday's defensive stance on the foul. Put one arm across his body to make sure it can't touch him then gingerly extend the other up. I have never seen a player look that sure that just about anything he did was going to draw a foul. In this world James Harden can not be stopped.

[Pelicanidae]

It's why I don't buy the MVP hype. Because his entire game is based around flopping for free throws.

He can't be guarded like regular players and that allows him to make much easier plays. The NBA already changed one rule due to last year Harden exploiting a screen to draw BS fouls.

The day Harden stops playing basketball is the day the NBA as a whole will improve.

This is why I don't rank Harden as a top ten player, and whenever I mention that I get really ragged on by people. But to me, to be a top ten player you have to be elite in more than one way without the refs.

LeBron has that, he's an elite scorer and playmaker.
AD has that, he's an elite scorer, rebounder, and rim protector.
Curry has that, he's an elite shooter and ball handler.

Harden's ability to produce points is entirely predicated on his abilities to draw fouls. And someone's people will point out that even if you subtract free throws from every players point averages, he still leads the league. This is true, but do you really think he'd take the volume of shots he does, from the same places he does, if he didn't know he'd get bailed out on a miss anyway?

I hate him so much.

[PelsFan2313]

Don't hate the player, hate the game. Is it frustrating that the game is called a certain way? Yes. But we can either continue to play "the right way," or adjust accordingly. It's extremely difficult to win when facing such glaring FT disparities. The last three games have shown us that.

Not to mention, if Harden was on our team, we would praise him for his "savvy play" and "veteran smarts," just like we did with CP3. Hate away, but he's the best player on the team with the best record. Clearly, what he does works...why should he deviate from that? As long as the refs continue to reward his style of play, it's going to stick around.

[Pelicanidae]

Don't hate the player, hate the game. Is it frustrating that the game is called a certain way? Yes. But we can either continue to play "the right way," or adjust accordingly. It's extremely difficult to win when facing such glaring FT disparities. The last three games have shown us that.

Not to mention, if Harden was on our team, we would praise him for his "savvy play" and "veteran smarts," just like we did with CP3. Hate away, but he's the best player on the team with the best record. Clearly, what he does works...why should he deviate from that? As long as the refs continue to reward his style of play, it's going to stick around.

I dont praise flops, even when they're on my team. Not that we do it much, but personally while I understand how some people see it as "savvy", I don't.

As for why he should stop doing it? I'd imagine it hurts your pride, dignity, and self respect to be an open charlatan who acts like a goldfish every time you get touched. I certainly couldn't do it, I'd feel like such a pathetic washout.

[Tinman]

ESPN is a POS . Trying to use worthless #'s to debate Gentry's assertion. There is a BIG difference between an OBVIOuS foul (of which AD SHOULD get at least 7.8) That's less than 2 per Q for a big w/ over 32 usage & A MEANINGFUL foul .
A meaningful foul is what REFS get paid for! Heck, I can call obvious fouls. Meaningful foul is when players & fans w/ inner basketball knowledge can see it , but the average fan Can NOT or does NOT. Off Ball, lower body push,hooks,etc. Those are the fouls that AD NEVER gets. Harden, Ariza & Tucker were pulling AD's jersey out of his shorts on every P&R.
Referees can covertly control an entire outcome of a game by calling/not calling these fouls . Last Night was a covert hit job on the Pels. TIM DONAGHYesque.

[PelsFan2313]

I dont praise flops, even when they're on my team. Not that we do it much, but personally while I understand how some people see it as "savvy", I don't.

As for why he should stop doing it? I'd imagine it hurts your pride, dignity, and self respect to be an open charlatan who acts like a goldfish every time you get touched. I certainly couldn't do it, I'd feel like such a pathetic washout.

If it wins games, it wins games. You don't have to like it to acknowledge it works. He wants to win. Your chances of winning are increased if you play a brand of basketball that is conducive to the way the game is called. That's what he does and it's a large reason behind why he and his team are successful year after year.

[Pelicanidae]

If it wins games, it wins games. You don't have to like it to acknowledge it works.

You literally said "don't hate the player" for it. I gave my explanation for why I hate the player.

You don't have to like my opinion, but don't put words in my mouth. I'm on record saying in another Rockets game thread that they've found a trick and they do the trick well and that trick happens to help them. That's acknowledgement that it works.

The fact that they're willing to shamelessly sell their dignity for a few free throws is their problem, not mine. I just call it how I see it.

[PelsFan2313]

If you realize it works, then it's stupid to argue he should stop playing the way he plays.

He doesn't need your respect. He has the respect of his organization, team, fans, and peers. Tell me one team that wouldn't love to have Harden.

[bahmamamba]

If you realize it works, then it's stupid to argue he should stop playing the way he plays.

He doesn't need your respect. He has the respect of his organization, team, fans, and peers. Tell me one team that wouldn't love to have Harden.

Riding it hard huh?

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[Pelicanidae]

If you realize it works, then it's stupid to argue he should stop playing the way he plays.

He doesn't need your respect. He has the respect of his organization, team, fans, and peers. Tell me one team that wouldn't love to have Harden.

I don't think you understand my point.

I'm not saying people don't like him, or that his fans love him, or that he isn't playing in an effective way.

I am saying that in my own, limited, individual, and personal viewpoint, I cannot respect someone like that. If other people can, that's their thing, their thoughts, their problems, and I don't care. My opinion is not based on theirs.

There are a lot of things in this world that work, but which shouldn't be done. In my personal view, blatant flopping is one of those things, and Harden is the league's worst perpetrator. You might disagree, the refs might disagree, D'Antoni might disagree, and Adam Silver might disagree but I don't care at all.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

What I don't understand about this officiating is how all these ticky tack fouls mysteriously disappear come playoffs.

If it's a foul it's a foul.

If I only ger one wish:
Rockets get swept in the second round or the Pelicans make the playoffs. I'm going sweeping.

[PelsFan2313]

I don't think you understand my point.

I'm not saying people don't like him, or that his fans love him, or that he isn't playing in an effective way.

I am saying that in my own, limited, individual, and personal viewpoint, I cannot respect someone like that. If other people can, that's their thing, their thoughts, their problems, and I don't care. My opinion is not based on theirs.

There are a lot of things in this world that work, but which shouldn't be done. In my personal view, blatant flopping is one of those things, and Harden is the league's worst perpetrator. You might disagree, the refs might disagree, D'Antoni might disagree, and Adam Silver might disagree but I don't care at all.

Fair enough.

[kinglio21093]

ESPN is a POS . Trying to use worthless #'s to debate Gentry's assertion. There is a BIG difference between an OBVIOuS foul (of which AD SHOULD get at least 7.8) That's less than 2 per Q for a big w/ over 32 usage & A MEANINGFUL foul .
A meaningful foul is what REFS get paid for! Heck, I can call obvious fouls. Meaningful foul is when players & fans w/ inner basketball knowledge can see it , but the average fan Can NOT or does NOT. Off Ball, lower body push,hooks,etc. Those are the fouls that AD NEVER gets. Harden, Ariza & Tucker were pulling AD's jersey out of his shorts on every P&R.
Referees can covertly control an entire outcome of a game by calling/not calling these fouls . Last Night was a covert hit job on the Pels. TIM DONAGHYesque.

Lmaooooo ESPN could NOT wait to drop that stat.

[WildlifeAirGrp]

I think the whole point of Gentry's (the rest of the world) is the inconsistency. Harden jumps into Jrues extended hand and its a foul. AD gets tackled in the lane...its not. If Jrue cant guard him like he was what do you do? That's the whole point I was trying to make. If the league wants 'scorers' and not 'players' so be it, just don't put a man on him next Saturday night. Let Harden obliterate Wilt's single game scoring record. Either that are just foul the living carp out of him every time down the court. Let him take 60 free throws. Make a mockery of it because the refereeing certainly has been doing that for some time.

[luigi modelo]

This is a good analysis and it addresses the FT discrepency well ... https://www.thebirdwrites.com/2018/3...s-james-harden

[bahmamamba]

I think the whole point of Gentry's (the rest of the world) is the inconsistency. Harden jumps into Jrues extended hand and its a foul. AD gets tackled in the lane...its not. If Jrue cant guard him like he was what do you do? That's the whole point I was trying to make. If the league wants 'scorers' and not 'players' so be it, just don't put a man on him next Saturday night. Let Harden obliterate Wilt's single game scoring record. Either that are just foul the living carp out of him every time down the court. Let him take 60 free throws. Make a mockery of it because the refereeing certainly has been doing that for some time.

This so much this if they want to make it a joke let's make it a joke

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