CLEVELAND -- Not much happens in the NBA or the game of basketball as a whole without Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James taking notice, and that includes when his peers have great individual performances.
Late in the first quarter of Wednesday’s 105-92 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets guard James Harden had a memorable crossover move that had defender Wesley Johnson picking himself up off the court as the home fans cheered Harden inside the Toyota Center.
😳 JAMES. HARDEN. 😳#Rockets pic.twitter.com/JCphxLzP18
“It’s one of those moves,” James said. “It’s one of those moves that you sometimes dream about having.”
With the Rockets up by a 28-7 count and 1:17 to play in the first quarter, Harden got the ball at the free-throw line and slowly jogged across the timeline and to the left wing.
It was there that Harden dribbled the ball between his legs twice before dropping his shoulder, crossing over from his left hand to his right and back again. Then, Harden drove with a left-handed dribble and utilized a step-back move that caused Johnson to lose his balance and fall to the floor while his right ankle buckled.
Following the move, Harden knocked down a three-pointer that continued Houston’s strong first-quarter run.
“It was a perfect storm because at that time, they were pretty handily winning that game,” James said.
“They were up 28-7 or 28-3 at that point, and he hits that step-back, one of his patented moves, and the crowd went crazy. His teammates went crazy, and that’s a play that will be in his highlight reel for the rest of his life.”
After shaking loose from the defense and before hoisting the three-pointer, Harden stared down Johnson for more than a second.
And while some called it a disrespectful move, James said actions like Harden’s are fair-game between the lines.
“Listen man, it’s all part of the game, man,” James said. “This is a game of showmanship, but at the same time, this is a game of swag, and whatever you’ve got to do, man. Once you’re in-between these lines of 94 feet, there ain’t no rules. The only rule is just don’t try to hurt nobody purposely.
“Other than that, it was probably surprising. It probably surprised James. When somebody goes down like that, it kind of throws you off a little bit. For me, it’s just a routine shot, getting comfortable getting the ball in a spot he needed to shoot it.”
