What’s been going on this week in the NBA? Let’s take a look.
James Harden Becomes A Joint Record Holder
James Harden of the Rockets, become only the second NBA player in history to score more than 30 points in 20 games in a row. He joins Wilt Chamberlain as part of that distinguished group of players who have managed to perform consistently over an extended period of time and a range of teams.
Harden said that most people thought that Chamberlain had achieved an unbelievable set of numbers that nobody thought that anyone would ever catch. But the Rockets player noted that he was on a roll.
Harden’s overall record is impressive. He’s been averaging an incredible 42.3 points per game during his record streak. Doc’s Sports discusses some of the betting around the sport. It’s likely a few people made a lot of money at the beginning of the season, taking the long odds on Harden being able to replicate Chamberlain’s record.
Bulls Buy Anthony
Anthony and the Rockets agreed that their relationship would come to an end in November, following complaints from both player and management that he was not a good fit for the team. Anthony averaged 13.4 points per game and eight off the bench.
Anthony will join the Bulls in the coming weeks, hoping to lift the team out of their current malaise. The Bulls are currently on an uncharacteristically poor performance with a 6-7 win-ratio, below their performance by this stage in prior seasons. The team hopes that with the addition of Anthony, a veteran forward, they’ll be able to recoup some lost ground.
When Anthony began his NBA career in 2003, he was touted as one of the brightest new talents in the league. Anthony averaged an impressive 24 points per game during his first year with the Denver Nuggets.
NFL Could Learn From NBA Transparency
The NBA has a strict code of conduct when it comes to enforcing the sport’s rules. Complains are written down on paper in the form of a specific question which the referee must then answer after consulting with the video replay and other officials in the stands. Once reviewed, the referee is then able to answer the question, providing an accurate report on what happened.
The situation in the NFL is different. During the Lakers-Thunders game, Russell Westbrook was fouled by Lonzo Ball with just seconds remaining in the corner. Workman called for a foul, but the referee instead rewarded Westman with three free throws.
The confusion arose because of the referee’s perspective of the foul. The referee thought that Westbrook was engaged in the shooting motion when the illegal contact with Ball took place. But the video replay shown to the referee after the match indicates that the contact occurred before the Westbrook began the shooting motion.
The NFL policy doesn’t say that the referee must watch the replay, though this is something that must happen in the NBA. In the NBA multiple officials are involved in making a decision about a particular aspect of play.
