https://stats.nba.com/players/drives/?sort=DRIVES&dir=1 According to NBA's drives to the paint tracker, Westbrook leads the entire league in drive attempts at 20. Harden is still near the top with almost 18. However even with Westbrook's higher total amount of drives to the rim per game than Harden, he somehow manages to only get a little over half the whistles that Harden gets. Now I have some theories why this is the case. I think Westbrook being a speed demon compared to Harden's slower and more deliberate moves, makes it harder for the refs to see the foul in real time. Second, Westbrook unlike Harden will try to jump around defenders to finish at the rim while Harden will use tactics such as initiating the contact and running into the defender or baiting the defender with his arms extended out. Maybe Harden is just an anomaly where Westbrook is the normal for how many fouls are usually called for that amount of drives and Harden is the outlier. From the data, it does hint at that as Harden leads the league in fta from drives even though he isn't top 5 in drives to the rim. I don't know. It feels like Westbrook isn't getting a lot of blatant calls at the rim. Maybe the refs just don't like Westbrook.
another fchow post that somehow translates to another harden topic, that'll end up just like the rest
NBA defenders are so dumb and slow they can't even stop slow harden from driving without fouling him @fchowd0311
If you really consider it a "shot"? I'm implying Westbrook should take some notes from Harden. If you want to take it as an insult or slight, by all means go ahead.
Hmm, could be true. Unfortunately, you have a reputation of agenda driven posting, so its nearly impossible to take you seriously.
Refs try to limit how many times the Rockets go to the line IMO. Harden, Russ and EG should all be getting to the line a lot more. Westbrook's "And1" is now almost the same has EG's guttural screams of pain every time he goes for a layup and there is no call. I don't think there were shots taken. Harden skill is drawing fouls. He has a PhD in making sure the refs see contact. It isn't a shot.
There is a hug difference between the twos styles when Russ drives, he is always attempting to score via a dunk or layup. He is very ferocious and powerful so a slight hit wouldn’t get called for a foul harden often times seems like he is driving to get to the free throw line. When he gets slight bumped, he does a great job of flailing and selling the foul to the ref. He makes the contact look very serious and thus ref calls the foul
this is an interesting post as Harden is a King of Free Throws he gets to the line more than anyone this should be studied. imagine if russ got that many FTs. Could get us quite a few extra wins per season
NO WAY!! Man that’s messed up. I’d cry if I got booted from the league no reason. Hey I was just asking @hikanoo49 because although he claims to be an “old skool” Rockets fan his im’s to me and posts say otherwise.
a lot of people on this board weren't around back then so I don't talk about those things but here is some old school info for you to give you context in how Harden is Mr. Free Throw he currently averages 11.8 per game the great Hakeem even being a big with all those moves PEAK year for is only 8 per game have to go back to the Moses Malone days to have a Rocket shoot 11 per game
Here is a good video of some of the types of plays Harden draws fouls on where Russ does not Again, extra 3-4 FTs a game can translate to a lot of wins
