Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash gave his thoughts on some of the NBA's new foul rules and how James Harden is seen as one of the targets of the active offense.
After the Nets lost 95-111 to the Charlotte Hornets, Nash told reporters: "I feel like he's unfairly the poster child for unpunished fouls." "Some of them are really foul." Ahead of the 2021-22 season, the NBA announced it will instruct referees to avoid penalty fouls when offensive players try to pass penalties with non-basketball moves.
Back in 2017, Harden was already targeted by the NBA because he often created fouls in his shooting moves. The 2017-18 MVP isn't the only player to take advantage of this breakthrough, but he's undoubtedly the biggest example. In this case, Harden is one of many dynamic scorers who figure out how to use the system to win the referee whistle
It's clear that the rule change regarding basketball shooting action affected James Harden. Harden has averaged 8.7 free throws per game in his career, compared to just three this season. The rule change was due to the all-union popularity, but Steve Nash said Harden "unfairly became the poster child for the rule change." "But some of them are really fouls. But they're so alert and conscious, he's the poster child for these new decisions — I know, there's a line, but some of them are still fouls," Nash told reporters after Sunday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Nash said that although Harden doesn't play at the free throw line as often as he usually does, he can't change the way he plays. "He can only hold on. He has to keep running to the basket and he has to do what he has to do because a big part of it is still foul and if he doesn't, he can still play. He can still complete and pass the exam and complete the exam he did in. ... Keep attacking on everything you do, and they'll respect his skill level and his ability to get others to stand on his shoulders and shoot. ”
"I'm not the kind of person who complains," Harden said. "I just ask every referee if they see a foul called a foul. Sometimes I feel like going into a game where everything is meant or I've got the shame of being handed, but I'm just asking the referee to do what they see. ”
But the nine-time All-Star player will inevitably adapt, and perhaps he'll come up with a new way to push the rulebook to its limits.