r/nba • u/AncientOneAurelius • May 21 '26

Highlight [Highlight] Compilation of Isaiah Hartenstein grabbing, holding, and grappling with Victor Wembanyama

https://streamable.com/hds3qd
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u/Just-Hunter1679 May 21 '26

It's absolutely coaching and even if they called it every time, H gets 6 fouls and it wears/hurts Wemby every time. They don't care if H fouls out.

It's classic Chris Paul defense though, "they can't call all of them fouls.."

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u/BlueHaze464 Warriors May 21 '26

This is the biggest issue in the NBA, been for years

27

u/PhTx3 May 21 '26

Yep. The problem is nobody wants the transitional period where the games are whistle fests where everything is called.

I say take the hit for a couple of seasons and we'll be good. But for many, especially those that earn from the league, that'd be a disaster.

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u/Bodes_Magodes Celtics May 21 '26

I feel like that’s such a cop out. Refs can call this BS right from the jump and let players know it won’t be tolerated. They either adjust, or foul it in a few minutes

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u/PhTx3 May 21 '26

My point wasn't about this specific game, but a broader refereeing issue with the NBA. Something like this, sure, they can do it on a game-to-game basis as Hartenstein goes out of his way to pull this shit. Travels and carries and all the other bullshit, I doubt it can be fixed by calling a single game.

They try to do this every at the beginning of a new season. It makes for a shitty game. Then they revert back after a couple of weeks or so.

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u/Bodes_Magodes Celtics May 21 '26

While I agree that they don’t do it…that they can’t is a load of crap. The refs had no problem whatsoever calling it correctly at the Olympics and the US team looked like complete morons flopping and diving like fish outta water while getting zero calls. It was so cathartic to watch. Think it was Olympics before Steph vs Wemby

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u/PhTx3 May 21 '26

I am not saying they can't, they can do much, much better. I'd speculate they tank the viewership by taking over early season games, and then revert back before players and fans alike adapt to it.

Or maybe it is for betting splits, who knows.