James Harden Pushed Off and Traveled? Who Cares?

Rachel Nichols asked the question last night with a poll question. The results don’t matter. It’s a rhetorical question about which kind of NBA fan/critic (usually on Twitter) is more annoying. Is it the people who consistently pick apart highlight videos to try and find illegal push-offs, or the people who try to find travels? This is not to say that there aren’t quite a few illegal steps and pushes in the NBA because they clearly exist. The point is that in the NBA it doesn’t matter and it’s to the benefit of the game.

Before we dive in, here’s the play by James Harden that spawned the latest round of kerfuffling.¹ James Harden does James Harden things; including what might technically be a bit of a push-off and probably some sort of travel as he stares down a pretzel-legged Wes Johnson and bombs a three-pointer. Instead of enjoying an incredible play and unfortunate victimization, the technical detail guys were out in full force.

https://twitter.com/bwolfe14/status/969066356032376832

https://twitter.com/KurtKFBB/status/969074992968159233

The NBA, to its credit, doesn’t seem to care one bit. They’ve changed their game to allow for crazy amounts of scoring. There are euro-steps, crab-dribbles, gathering moves, long dribbles that are basically ridiculous carrying travels, and the NBA has just allowed it. The results are mostly joy amongst fans and media as they gobble up highlights across every possible medium available with nary a take-down notice from the league, not to mention a whistle.

Meanwhile, the NFL makes headlines when they finally get out of their own way. Last year it was allowing celebrations. This year, they’re finally going to rewrite a rule on one of the most basic things in football: “Is it a catch?” With super slow-mo replays deciding more and more plays in the league, the NFL has woken up to a time where they’re torturing their fans with Zapruder-level officiating and minutiae. Frankly, it sucks.

This looks like a catch to anyone watching a game of football in real time.

Just because he pumps his arms doesn’t make it two moves. He extends in order to catch the ball, as he lands on the ground the ball hits the ground and comes loose. Doesn’t posses it. pic.twitter.com/YCYve7Hfpr

— Ian Glendon (@iglen31) February 27, 2018

So does this.

Look at this similar situation with Calvin Johnson. This was ruled not a catch. pic.twitter.com/CcgGsu4v2n

— Demetrius Harvey (@Demetrius82) February 27, 2018

And probably this.

DEZ CAUGHT IT! NFL admits @dallascowboys WR Dez Bryant’s controversial drop against Packers in 2014 playoffs should have been ruled a catchhttps://t.co/aQly4dRT0A pic.twitter.com/FQhmZG13Zx

— NY Daily News Sports (@NYDNSports) February 28, 2018

As the NFL congratulates themselves on trying to clarify the most basic thing in the world that they’ve somehow allowed to become one of the most confusing things in all of professional sports, the NBA is letting the “WELL ACTUALLY” critics die alone on their Twitter vines.

I woke up one day this calendar year and had an epiphany that all of professional sports would be better off without replay. Without replay rules covering every single touchdown, turnover and big play, many of these catches would be catches instead of “catches.” When a playoff baserunner beats the throw to second by getting his hands in ahead of the throw and tag, they wouldn’t call him out because he dared to be a millimeter over the bag and not technically on it for a fraction of a second. So don’t bring this level of scrutiny to the NBA. We’re all better off with euro steps and crab dribbles and carries and push-offs and travels. OH MY!

Yes, even when it’s Steph Curry vs. LeBron James.

https://twitter.com/Suzuki_Bj/status/952591213269528577

While it wouldn’t bother me if an NBA ref called that against Steph because I’m a homer, I know the NBA is better off than the alternative method. The NFL has proven it.

1. I hate the word kerfuffle so I figured I might as well bastardize it into oblivion. [↩]