NBA superstar James Harden did not get the call. After you’ve finished digesting that rarest of all NBA statements, watch the video clip below and see why. Because this move exposes a good percentage of Harden’s bag of tricks — all in one play!
Harden comes down court looking for the 3-pointer against a stalwart Josh Hart of the Pelicans. Hart stands his ground, arms straight up into the vertical space it’s his right to occupy. Harden smashes into him, then fakes a follow-through with his shooting hand by heaving his left arm into Hart.
Harden wants it to look like the contact with Hart dislodged the ball in the act of shooting — but it’s clear that Harden never even has the ball in his flailing shooting hand.
Harden is so mad after the play that he smashes the basketball against the ground, only to have it come up and smack him in the face. Look, sometimes tricks don’t work, and it makes the trickster mad. Stuff happens. Harden will survive the face smack to fool more referees and defenders, no doubt.
But Josh Hart’s reaction, his face, his eyebrow raising, and his head-shaking? That’s perfect.
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