James Harden got away with the worst trip ever

During the 76ers’ playoff game against the Raptors, Philadelphia star James Harden got away with six steps between dribbles.

James Harden already has a certain reputation for travel. Like many stars in this NBA era, Harden regularly gets away with an extra step or two.

In Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs series against Toronto, Harden set a new standard of wear.

And the referees let him do it.

Behold: James Harden got away with the worst trip ever

Count those steps. Harden picked up his dribbling at the top of the front of the 76ers logo in half court and didn’t put the ball down until he was on the key.

Did the umpires even watch the guy holding the ball? Haven’t you seen how completely unnatural this whole movement looks? It was clearly visible from the transmission point of view, but not obvious from the ground.

If we want to loosen up the referees a bit, it’s possible that the carry was so outrageous that the official couldn’t believe his eyes. It almost looked like an optical illusion. Nearly.

For what it’s worth, the missed call didn’t play a huge role in the outcome of the game. Philadelphia were in control for most of the game. They had an 18-point lead at halftime and held it in the second half without much trouble.

Harden finished the tournament with 22 points, five rebounds, 14 assists, a steal, a block and just one turnover.

Raptors fans will definitely want the officials to pay a little more attention to the next game. If it happens again, it could have a far greater impact.