I’m with this guy. Doesn’t matter what you or me or whatever so-called analysts say. If the refs don’t call it, then it’s not a travel. Otherwise it is. Simple as that. Now let’s just enjoy it while it lasts... hopefully at least till we win the ship this year.
Long time, listener first time caller Bob, I'm just wondering, what's the most incorrect take I could have on the league MVP while still looking like an idiot with his head up his butt? I'll hang up and listen to your answer.
I know it is not travelling according to the refs. But I am wondering what it will look like if it is a "step farward" version but not step back. Hmm...but i guess the step forward version will be called travel ten times out of ten times?
I know what you mean man. But what if someone do some iso moves and do the "step forward" behind the three point and shoot a long jumper? Just wondering how it will look like.
He's also posting stuff about the stepback in the other thread, just in case you missed his oh-so-important opinion on the matter. "I'm Harden's number one fan.......that said, he gets away with everything......he is probably a time traveler who was on the grassy knoll, behind the fence." Oh,, you mean like this gem? "If you think warriors would get better with harden then you're stupid. Harden is a ball stopper that constantly misses defensive swaps and plays hero ball. Curry plays with in the system. Even though he is not a good 1 on one defender he doesn't kill the warriors defense because he plays with in the system and he is good at it." Or, as the OP should probably write: "Looks like I picked the wrong weak to stop sniffing gloo."
Harden doesn't make the rules. The Rockets don't make the rules. Clutchfans don't make the rules. Why complain to us?
and they say harden is not mentally tough...and its wichhunt every year...he is the toughest dude i know
It’s ridiculous, imagine if Dream was around. All those highlights we have of precision footwork would be nonexistent. People b**** about crap they don’t know anything about or never played the game.
Technically she would be right, but this is basically falls under the same category as refs not calling carrying or football refs not calling holding, which they could every single play. The key is if that second step is a "hop," then a player can land on both feet simultaneously without it being a travel. To break down that video... that last/second "step" is almost more of a hop..there is no long stride like if a player was going forward for a layup. Also, both feet come down so close together it really looks simultaneous, especially at full speed. Furthermore, for one foot he lands on his heel and his other foot he lands on his toes, making it even more difficult for a ref to detect a third step. Basically, it all happens so fast, and is so compact, a ref would be guessing if he were to make that call in real time. I would say the carries and moving screens and pivot foot switching that refs (and media talking heads) regularly ignore are much more egregious and obvious than Harden's step back. Haters have to analyze it in slow motion to even argue that it's a travel, and even then it's somewhat dubious. Still, she does bring up a good point. Way more interesting than the dummies who don't understand the gather step (I suspect that's where most media haters think the travel comes from).
Just to highlight rule I'm referencing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveling_(basketball) The reason you never see this on a layup, is because there's too much forward momentum and the strides are too long. Imagine going for a layup, and after taking one step trying to land on both legs simultaneously without the momentum making you fall on your face. And once you've done that, you have no pivot foot, so you'd have to either shoot with both feet on the floor with your legs awkwardly spread out, or you'd have to somehow jump off both feet while doing the splits. When going backwards, Harden is not on a run and has no forward momentum, so it's a lot easier to do this. She's really arguing that a ref should see one toe touch the ground before the other in real time...on a guy who arguably has the quickest footwork and quickest deceleration in NBA history. That's asking a lot, and qualifies as nitpicking IMHO. Basically, she's trying to fish for some other reason to call it a travel, after being educated on the gather step (i.e., the original reason she erroneously thought it was a travel).
