Nov thirty, 2018

  • Tim MacMahon

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    Tim MacMahon

    ESPN Staff Writer

    • Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009
    • Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks
    • Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM

  • Michael C. Wright

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    Michael C. Wright

    ESPN Staff Writer

    • Joined ESPN in 2010
    • Previously covered Bears for ESPN.com
    • Played college football game at Westward Texas A&M

"Hands upwards! Easily up!" A voice hollers from the Detroit Pistons' bench as James Harden dribbles the brawl near 30 feet from the basket, reminding Glenn Robinson III not to reach against the Houston Rockets' superstar.

It's Nov. 23, and the Rockets -- now in Detroit for the 2d game of a home-and-home set -- trail by four points late in the first quarter. As Robinson closes in, Harden -- who had gone 19-of-19 from the free throw line in the Rockets' home win over the Pistons two days prior -- casually takes a couple more than dribbles earlier recognizing an opportunity he has seen hundreds of times.

"Hands up!" the vocalization hollers once again, now several decibels louder, sounding as alarmed every bit a father seeing his child reaching for a hot stove.

It'south too late. The moment Robinson extends his right arm to put his hand above the ball, Harden picks up his dribble and flings his arms before releasing a shot, cartoon contact and getting the whistle.

"He flops on crime simply similar I bomb on defense."

Celtics guard Marcus Smart, on James Harden

It'due south ruled a rip move, so Harden isn't awarded his showtime free throws of the game. Those would come just v seconds later, when Harden catches Reggie Bullock colliding with his leg while challenging a stride-dorsum iii-pointer correct in front of the Rockets' bench.

"He kicked his leg out! He kicked his leg out! He kicked his leg out!" Pistons coach Dwane Casey protests as Bullock pleads his case to the ref. "C'monday, homo! He kicked his leg out!"

The Pistons have just fallen victim to 1 of Harden's not-and so-undercover weapons -- a repertoire of foul-drawing moves designed to drive defenders crazy and become the reigning MVP to the line at a historic clip.

Nobody in the NBA has mastered this art every bit well as Harden, who has led the league in gratis throws attempted in five of the past six seasons, averaging more than than 10 per game. He has a deep bag of tricks to earn opportunities at the about efficient shot in the game -- Harden hits free throws at an 85.three percent prune for his career -- but he isn't exactly eager to publicly discuss his tactics.

"I merely play. Fouls come," Harden says, keeping a straight face. "I don't really come into the game trying to draw fouls. I just play the game."

Don't buy that? Neither exercise the guys who have the frustrating experience of checking him.

'The problem is, how exercise yous guard him then?'

If anyone knows how to sell a foul, it's Marcus Smart. And while the Boston Celtics' guard does about of his Oscar-worthy work on defense force, Harden'due south offensive tactics just might give him a run for his money.

"He flops on crime just similar I flop on defense," Smart says. "He's been in the league a long fourth dimension, and he's built that reputation. It's hard to guard him knowing that, at whatsoever given moment, yous can go called for a foul.

"He does a really expert job of using his body and using the rules to his reward."

Smart isn't solitary in his frustration. Defenders all around the league are suffering at the hands -- and artillery and legs -- of the NBA'southward foul-cartoon principal.

"It'due south only years of experience," says Dallas Mavericks baby-sit Devin Harris. "And learning how to -- how practise I put this delicately -- how to create sure things in the refs' eyes to make them want to call fouls."

Steve Javie, an officiating annotator for ESPN with 25 seasons of NBA refereeing feel, disagrees that deception is a major factor in Harden living at the line.

"He's really a unique actor where he doesn't really endeavour to fool the referee actually," Javie says. "9 times out of 10 when you wait at replays, you get, 'Yes, that's a defensive foul.'

"The guy is really, really a smart guy. He'due south really clever. You can tell he practices at knowing what the defense is allowed to do and not allowed to do and where his defender is, because he seems to become the defender in a compromising position."

It'south without a doubt a craft Harden has worked hard to hone. He even hunts fouls when he plays one-on-one with Rockets staffers.

"He can feel it, he tin run across it," Javie says. "For some reason, the guy's just got a knack for information technology."

"It's similar he's got the plague, and you don't want to affect him. That's how we've got to care for him."

Spurs bus Gregg Popovich, on James Harden's foul-drawing prowess

Harden, who is averaging a career-loftier and NBA-best 31.one points per game, has established himself equally the league's premier scorer for many reasons. He's dominant as a driver, an elite ballhandler and a crafty finisher. His stride-back 3 has become his signature movement. But the first thing opponents discuss when preparing for Harden is keeping him off the complimentary throw line.

"Anytime y'all scout James Harden -- as well as Lou Williams -- the whole talk is nigh showing your hands," says Grizzlies shooting guard Garrett Temple. "Virtually putting your hands back. And so the trouble is, how do y'all guard him then?"

Neat question. Hither'south how Harden is making it so difficult for defenders to notice the reply.

'Information technology'south similar if a cookie's sitting right at that place'

If you're going to dissect whatever of Harden's get-to moves, offset with the one we've all seen a million times.

Harden loves to use the basketball as allurement, extending his arms later on picking upwards his dribble on drives and daring opponents to take a swipe.

"He but has a way of throwing the ball out there, making guys retrieve they can get get information technology," says Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Paul George.

"Information technology'due south like if a cookie's sitting correct there, you want to go get information technology, but you lot're not going to get information technology every time," Temple says. "It's similar the commercial with the guy with the angling rod -- you're not quick enough to get the dollar at the stop."

Opponents are well enlightened of this, but it's oftentimes too tempting to resist going for the steal, no matter how many times they see Harden get the and-1 confronting reaching defenders.

"He's got great rest, and he has potent hands and forearms, so he has the power to put the ball in a place that other people would fear because they think they're going to lose the ball," a Western Briefing caput charabanc says. "If you get the ball, he's stiff enough to hold onto it and yet end. Only if you lot have the bait and yous miss, which happens most of the time, you're going to foul him.

"He starts it here [close to his chest], so then your reach starts to happen, and as your achieve is happening, then information technology's extended. And now it'south an easy telephone call."

'He knows how to clamp that arm'

Harden stood at the free throw line, and George couldn't empathise why.

The 2 stars were dueling in Houston last April, and Harden had just wrapped his correct arm around George, initiating contact while simultaneously taking him for a ride toward the rim. A quick defensive foul was called, much to the outrage of George and his Thunder teammates.

Fast-forward seven months to the start quarter of a Nov. viii game in Oklahoma City, and Harden is setting upward George one more than time.

As Harden makes a spin motility, he subtly uses his right arm again equally a hook, pulling George toward him to describe contact. Referee Scott Wall's whistle blows as George gets set to plead his case.

Offensive foul.

"I was very surprised that they blew that on him and gave him the foul," George says. "That'due south part of the reason he gets those fouls, he knows how to clamp that arm in in that location, and he goes up every bit if he's shooting to draw that contact."

This is arguably Harden'southward nigh frustrating play a joke on for defenders and referees alike -- clearly an offensive foul, just one rarely called on him.

"That's so difficult [for a referee]," Javie says. "It'southward probably just watching a lot of tape and making sure yous have the angle to see information technology. Eight or nine times out of 10, information technology is a defensive foul. That i or ii times out of 10 that it's not. You lot've got to be in a perfect position."

According to Javie, referees shouldn't recollect twice about sending a quick message.

"If I knew the guy tried to fool me before," Javie says, "I'd probably phone call an offensive foul, only to say, 'I call up I know what you lot're doing.'"

Harden actually uses a couple of different versions of the off-arm hook. He's also known for using his off hand to slyly get under a defender'due south arm and flail, which almost ever catches defenders off-baby-sit and fools refs into calling a foul in Harden's favor.

"You shouldn't have to worry about guys grabbing your arm on defence and getting a foul call," Raptors shooting baby-sit Danny Green says. "It happens all the time. It happens all the time."

'That's the reason he shoots 10-plus free throws a night'

Harden readily admits that he thrives on contact.

"Yeah, just it's tough," Harden says. "I can't be also ambitious, because so you knock guys over and go offensive fouls. You've got to pick your spots."

Defenders credit Harden for beingness a chief at creating advantageous angles. They say it helps that he'south a lefty with a bit of an unorthodox game, but he excels at creating contact and getting calls.

"He does a actually practiced job of playing strong with his body, which a lot of times he hits you, and your natural reaction is to striking back, and guys get dinged for that," George says. "So, he'southward only good, he's figured it out, how to main it, how to work the officials, and that'southward the reason he shoots 10-plus gratis throws a night."

Harden refers to it as "taking up their space." As the Western Conference caput coach explains, Harden excels at forcing a defender to react and and then determining whether he has an advantage of a full footstep or a half stride.

"If y'all're a full step late, then he'due south got a clear path," the coach says. "Simply if y'all're a half step, he creates that separation and and so puts his body on you and draws the foul."

Information technology's something Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum got a front-row seat to during last season'south playoffs.

Harden and San Antonio Spurs shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, childhood friends who grew upward playing basketball game together in Los Angeles, have had discussions well-nigh the fine art of drawing fouls. DeRozan admits he has borrowed some tricks from his sometime AAU teammate, such as extending his arms on drives.

"That was something we always talked about, joked well-nigh," DeRozan says. "Particularly in the summertime, just messing around playing and coming up with different ideas on how to get fouled and get to the free throw line."

DeRozan compares Harden to another crafty lefty, recently retired Spurs legend Manu Ginobili. While Ginobili earned a reputation as a renowned flopper, he had a knack for creating contact after getting into the paint by irresolute directions, as does Harden.

"And you tin can see information technology, especially in transition," DeRozan says. "He'due south looking for the foul. He's not going to shy away from it. Then for him, it'southward just being witting that at that place's non too many people that tin can torso him. And then if he's coming directly at you, he's definitely going to draw the foul."

'Boom, he'll hitting you, and so there's infinite'

There is one move, though, that transcends them all. One that every NBA player knows about but can't finish. One that utilizes the same tricks he uses in the paint but which creates 50 percent more product than whatsoever other motility. One that Harden executes better than any player in history. The patented stride-back 3.

"Nail, he'll hitting you, and then there's infinite," Harris says. "And then as you jump forward, he'southward jumping forward.

"He has a knack for creating infinite and and so taking advantage of mistakes."

Harden has been fouled on 289 3-point attempts over the past five seasons, according to Second Spectrum data, more any other two players combined.

One of Harden's tricks? Moving diagonally on his way backward. Picket any Rockets game, whatsoever you lot'll see it: Harden darting in reverse at any bending, knowing his defenders will follow -- and knowing collisions will come.

And they do. Per Second Spectrum, Harden has 37 four-point plays in the past five seasons, once again, past far the most in the league.

"About guys can't block information technology, and they want to take upward that space," Harden says. "I don't await for a foul as I'm shooting my step-dorsum. I actually shoot the ball to get in."

'Information technology'due south like he'due south got the plague'

The Spurs had already been bitten. In the 2017 Western Conference playoffs, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley had tormented San Antonio and head coach Gregg Popovich with his ability to depict fouls on 3-pointers. The Spurs had managed to accept down Memphis in six games, despite Conley cartoon five fouls on 3s.

Only they'd advanced to the Due west semifinals knowing Conley was a mere understudy to the foul-cartoon star awaiting them.

So the Spurs turned to a radical approach: They would guard Harden with their hands up, fingertips pointed toward the heaven.

"That was the whole reason," Popovich says. "That'due south how we guarded James because he was getting all those calls, and the referees hadn't figured it out yet. And so we came upward with that just for him. And it worked out well."

Harden averaged 29.1 points and made it to the free-throw line almost 10.9 per game during the 2016-17 regular flavor. Merely in the conference semifinals, the Spurs cut Harden's scoring average to 24.v points while limiting him to an average of six trips to the line in a series San Antonio won in six games.

"Later on that series [against Memphis], we concluded up playing Houston and saying, 'Keep your easily out,'" Green says. "'Nosotros don't desire anymore fouls guarding these guys.'"

In that sense, the Spurs saw the 2017 series against Harden and the Rockets as a precursor to today'southward freedom-of-motility rules, which teams are still struggling to adjust to.

"[Harden] can take advantage of that sort of thing," Popovich says. "If your hands are anywhere in the vicinity, he's going to figure out a way how to become mucked up with y'all and then that he tin can become off a shot or become the foul somehow."

Popovich then starts to laugh.

"Information technology's like he'south got the plague," Popovich says, "and you don't want to touch him. That'southward how we've got to treat him."

ESPN's Royce Immature and Tim Bontemps contributed to this story.