Steve Nash's chat with ref helps Nets' James Harden get to foul line
Nets head coach Steve Nash reacts in the first half against the Heat at Barclays Center on Wednesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
During the second quarter of the Nets’ win over the Pacers on Friday night, coach Steve Nash had an animated conversation with one of the officials after James Harden appeared to draw a foul but got no call. Subsequently, Harden not only drew a foul on the next possession but got to the foul line 17 more times in that game and shot 16-for-19 overall.
Asked if his talk with the ref triggered the flood of foul shots that followed, Nash laughed and said, "I can be very convincing. No, I don’t think me getting animated changed the game. If I remember correctly, the point of emphasis is the offensive player or ‘poster child,’ James Harden, seeking arms with the ball.
"The point of emphasis said you’re not allowed to seek the arms if there is tactile contact. But if a guy’s forearm is across your waist, that’s an illegal guarding position. There’s no way around finding his arm when you gather [to go up for a shot] in that scenario.
"I understand we want to cut out seeking the arms, which is something they were calling in the past. It’s not James’ fault. But if they want to take that out of the game, the line is tactile contact versus a guy having his whole forearm or both hands on the body. That’s a foul."
Claxton's illness more severe then thought
Center Nic Claxton missed his third straight game Sunday night against the Pistons with what has been described as a non-COVID-19 illness, and it appears he might be out longer. "Nic’s going to be out a little bit," Nash said. "He’s not feeling well, nothing to be concerned about but I don’t think he’s going to be back in the next week or 10 days. It’s just an illness, nothing we’re overly concerned with. It’s just a little more severe illness than we thought initially, and he’s going to miss a little bit of time."
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
