For a night at least, ire rises in Big Easy
New Orleans’ Gentry praises Harden but lashes out at officiating on Davis
NEW ORLEANS — Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry had declared Rockets guard James Harden, rather than his own headliner, to be the clear-cut NBA Most Valuable Player.
He seemed to quickly realize that might fly in the face of the Pelicans’ campaign on Anthony Davis’ behalf and spoke of the Rockets’ superior record, rather than the comparison of stars.
Their fourth-quarter duel and whatever conclusions could be drawn would come later.
But after Harden’s fourth-quarter burst drove the Rockets past Davis and the Pelicans and to a 107-101 win Saturday night, giving them 21 wins in 22 games since their loss in New Orleans, Gentry had much more to say.
He stuck to his MVP choice, but let loose with a loud, rebuke of the officiating, triggered by the three-shot foul Harden drew with the game very much on the line.
“I thought we played hard,” Gentry said. “I thought we competed. I thought we did everything we had to do to try to win the game.
“The thing that bothers me more than anything … is that we try to play the right way and we play our (butt) off and then what happened to us is that A.D. never gets a call.
“We talk about them holding him. We talk about them grabbing him. We talk about them coming under him on post-ups.
“He never gets a call. You know why? Because he doesn’t bitch and complain about it.
“Then it comes down to a few plays in games. You can’t guess on plays when you have teams playing for playoff spots.
“When a guy has his hands on his (Harden’s) chest and you call a threeshot (foul), that’s not correct. Then you give them the ball back on another play when they undercut a player, that’s not right either. That’s not the way you call the game. It’s not.
“Then you get a technical foul walking away from a guy; this league has really changed. I walked away from it so I wouldn’t get the technical.” Pivotal points
Harden was given three shots with 5:39 left and another on Gentry’s technical foul.
He made three of the four free throws, giving the Rockets a 10-point lead as he scored 11 points with an assist in the final eight minutes.
It would not make Gentry, who visited with Harden, Chris Paul and Mike D’Antoni in the Rockets’ locker room long after the game, feel any better, but Harden said he was fouled on the play.
“He got a piece of it,” Harden said of Jrue Holiday hitting his elbow. “Good call.
“A piece enough to affect my shot. That’s all you need on a jump shot.”
He said he did agree with Gentry’s MVP choice.
“It feels good to hear from other coaches,” Harden said, “teams you’re competing against.”
He looked the part Saturday night.
Harden hit a step-back 3-pointer with 90 seconds left for a nine-point lead.
Paul sealed the win with two free throws with 14.8 seconds left. Containing Davis
More than anything, the Rockets kept Davis under control. He had 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
But after a 12-point first quarter, he managed only one second-quarter jumper and a few uncontested dunks until his late run.
At that point, he scored on three straight possessions, but the Rockets’ defense had limited him long enough to build a 20-point lead and keep enough of a cushion to finish off the win.
“He made some unbelievable shots,” D’Antoni said. “He’s really good.
“But I tell you what, P.J. Tucker is one of the best defensive players I’ve ever seen. He guards everybody and guards them hard.” Credit where it’s due
But Gentry had issues with how the Rockets slowed his star and made sure his feelings were clear.
“I thought we did everything we could have to try to win the game,” he said. “That’s a great team down there with a great player.
“To me, he’s the MVP of the league. His team has the best record. He’s a closer. He comes up with big shots.
“All I’m saying is … call it both ways. A.D. rolls to the basket and he’s grabbed and he’s held, give him the same call you give somebody else.
“It’s not right. We’re battling our (butt) off for a playoff spot. All we want is to have the game called the right way. I’ll take the damn fine they’re going to give me tomorrow. That’s fine. I’m sick of it.”