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Spurs G5 & 6 Finally Solved?: Was Harden Playing Through A Concussion?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by DonKnock, Dec 8, 2017.

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  1. DonKnock

    DonKnock Member

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    After this play, Harden scored just 7 more points: 3 coming from the FT line, 1 floater, and 1 layup.
    He missed all of his perimeter shots.


    Watch the first play in this clip here and notice how Harden is wobbling around in the lane and looks up at the rebound and tries to jump but barely gets 5 inches off the floor.



    • Then after the next play (where Harden scores) when the camera cuts to a close up of him he shakes his head like he's trying to reorient himself.
    • Then two plays after that he lumbers around on defense very flatfooted even by his standards.
    • The next time he has the ball he almost falls over trying to turn the corner on Mills and then he eventually does fall over when Mills bumps him.
    • When Simmons draws the offensive foul on him, rather than react demonstratively to the ref (like he normally does) he just walks towards the other end of the court with a spaced out look on his face.
    • He has virtually no expression when Mills makes the buzzer beater as well.
    • Next, Simmons gets a poke away from behind when Harden does not turn the corner with his usual burst.
    • Then when Harden guards Aldridge in the post he is stumbling around again, it even looks like he might have been holding on to Aldridge to stabilize himself
    • After he makes the pass off on the next play, Mills comes to box him out for the rebound and Harden topples over completely.
    • When Danny Green makes the layup on him he once again walks around with a spaced out look on his face.
    His balance and proprioception were visibly thrown off. At times here he looks like a boxer that is on the ropes. We have a clear point of reference of a head injury (initial contact from Pau). His outside shot wasn't falling, possibly due to light sensitivity. Even on his drives he didn't go through contact the same way he normally does, instead he passed it off or tried to finish around the defender.

    This is a guy that was playing through a concussion.

    ________________________________________
    Update:
    This play looks virtually identical to the hit that Harden got from Pau. Horford WAS concussed, but kept playing much like Harden. He ended up being diagnosed with the concussion after the game and was held out the next game after.

     
    #1 DonKnock, Dec 8, 2017
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2017
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  2. hakeem94

    hakeem94 Member

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    nice find man, but i dont even care, the beard is my goat, titles or no titles
     
    #2 hakeem94, Dec 8, 2017
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  3. DonKnock

    DonKnock Member

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    I think it is important for us to consider that this was a major factor in how that series played out because it really changes how the end of that series traspired.

    It goes from “a guy had no heart” to a guy was willing to risk his health just to give his team a chance.

    Whether or not it was a smart decision, that is a pretty drastic difference.
     
    #3 DonKnock, Dec 8, 2017
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  4. Firebomb525

    Firebomb525 Member

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    I told people this but nobody believed me. Thanks broseph.
     
    #4 Firebomb525, Dec 8, 2017
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  5. vlaurelio

    vlaurelio Contributing Member

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    and it's not the first time that harden was struck by a 260 lb professional athlete's elbow. and the first one led to harden missing a game or a couple



    before someone downplays what a concussion is,

    "So it goes with brain injuries.

    That's what we're talking about here. Oh, the medical term for what Harden is suffering from is a concussion. It's a word that we've become well-acquainted with in the sports world. Unfortunately, concussions are killing athletes, sometimes in an unexpected instant but more often in a slow, painful existence.

    Concussions are awful, horrible beasts.

    And yet, we've somehow become desensitized to the word concussion. It doesn't alarm us. It doesn't faze us.

    So, let's call it what it is — a brain injury."
    http://newsok.com/article/3669070

    if true and he had some sort of concussion no matter how severe it is, and harden somehow hid it from the rockets or the rockets knew and kept quiet,
    for me thats the biggest issue. Anyone's life, health, & well being is more important than any game.

    "James is a strong person, he's a positive person and he doesn't let anything like that bring him down," Durant said. "And he didn't bring that into the locker room. ... From seeing him yesterday, you would think it never happened."

    http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...cussion-cleared-return-sits-finale-precaution
     
    #5 vlaurelio, Dec 8, 2017
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  6. apollo33

    apollo33 Member

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    let's just not talk about those 2 games again ever please and thank you
     
    #6 apollo33, Dec 8, 2017
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  7. JaceMan da SpaceMan

    JaceMan da SpaceMan Rookie

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    Harden beef ware helmet
     
    #7 JaceMan da SpaceMan, Dec 8, 2017
  8. DonKnock

    DonKnock Member

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    We've all had time to sulk about what happened.

    This is the first semi-conclusive thing we can point to that would explain how Harden played in those two games, rather than: "he's a choker! he will always choke!"

    I think it is an explanation worth exploring.
     
    #8 DonKnock, Dec 8, 2017
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  9. Richie_Rich

    Richie_Rich Member
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    Nice work here @DonKnock.

    This could also explain why the Rockets organization didn't offer insight into Harden's mysterious play once the Spurs series ended. Failing to attend to a concussed player would not only negatively implicate Keith Jones and the medical staff, it would also raise questions as to league's handling of concussion protocol. I'm sure Adam Silver would rather avoid the media scrutiny and backlash swallowing up the NFL.

    Of course, it's highly probable Keith Jones had no clue what was happening to Harden until after Game 6 anyway.

    It's an interesting perspective, to say the least. Thanks for sharing.
     
    #9 Richie_Rich, Dec 8, 2017
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  10. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    He definitely wasn't right for game 6.
     
    #10 rockbox, Dec 8, 2017
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  11. Erbnwarfare

    Erbnwarfare Member

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    But there's a tread about trading Harden.
     
    #11 Erbnwarfare, Dec 8, 2017
  12. Jugdish

    Jugdish Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #12 Jugdish, Dec 8, 2017
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  13. cheke64

    cheke64 Member

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    Come on man
     
    #13 cheke64, Dec 8, 2017
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  14. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Detective @DonKnock has cracked the case.

    He needs some more velvet ropes for these lines.
     
    #14 SamFisher, Dec 8, 2017
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  15. Reeko

    Reeko Member

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    I always thought that something was up...Idk if it was a concussion, but something wasn’t right

    how he looked after that elbow in game 5 is sort of how he was the entire game 6...couldn’t finish, couldn’t get by guys, looked spaced out, etc...I have never seen Harden that non-aggressive

    it just doesn’t make sense for him to just quit heading into game 6 with no Kawhi

    he has had some horrific games, but he has never had a game like game 6 where it looked like his soul had left his body from the opening tip
     
    #15 Reeko, Dec 8, 2017
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  16. justtxyank

    justtxyank Contributing Member

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    You didn't solve anything. This was suggested at the time by multiple people includes sports broadcasters. The Rockets pushed back hard against it and Harden denied it.
     
    #16 justtxyank, Dec 8, 2017
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  17. DreamShook

    DreamShook Member

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    I'll take any credible excuse. I was on board with Harden shaving points because he was indebted to the mob and his family was being held hostage. I can believe a concussion. The ending of game 5 and all of game 6 was just way too out of character.. it was truly unbelievable.

    I don't ever want to revisit those games again. I didn't watch the videos.
     
    #17 DreamShook, Dec 8, 2017
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  18. napalm06

    napalm06 Huge Flopping Fan

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    #18 napalm06, Dec 8, 2017
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  19. ghettocheeze

    ghettocheeze Member

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    Khloe Kardashian was a concussion. This was a ticky tacky shot.
     
    #19 ghettocheeze, Dec 8, 2017
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  20. glimmertwins

    glimmertwins Member

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    Ya, this is spot on - the NBA doesn't want to draw attention to concussions for their sport - not in the current climate.

    ...also, we know this theory is true because the basketball gods punished the Spurs almost immediately in the next round when Kawhi landed on Zaza's foot. I'm just waiting for the basketball gods to punish the Warriors for general *******-ness(to which Durant is taking them to new a-hole heights).
     
    #20 glimmertwins, Dec 8, 2017
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