The NBA has confirmed what any fan with a pair of eyeballs already knew: Houston Rockets superstar James Harden got away with an egregious travel during the fourth quarter of his team's 102-97 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
Tuesday's last-two-minute report ruled that Harden took "more than two steps after his gather," an incorrect non-call that the officials missed.
With 54.6 remaining in regulation, Harden sized up Jazz guard Ricky Rubio on the perimeter, cooked him with a step back, and then hit him with another hop for good measure.
"It looked like he did two step backs." 😂 pic.twitter.com/k0V0AQLStB
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 18, 2018
Adding insult to injury, Rubio was whistled for a shooting foul on the play, sending Harden to the free-throw line, where he sunk two of three attempts. The NBA confirmed that despite missing Harden's travel, Rubio's foul was indeed called correctly.
To their credit, the National Basketball Referees Association got out ahead of the league's report, admitting that the officials blew the call on Harden's super step back.
The offensive player gathers the ball while on his right foot. He then takes a step with his left foot (step 1) into a hop step, landing first with his right foot (step 2) and then illegally with his left (step 3). We missed this one - it is a traveling violation. https://t.co/BqMAoZHgIu
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) December 18, 2018
