If you bet on a James Harden triple-double Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, or even just Harden over 9.5 rebounds, close your eyes.
The Philadelphia 76ers guard ended the game with exactly nine rebounds to go with 26 points and 10 assists, but one particular sequence sure looks like he should’ve been credited with a 10th rebound.
It happened in the fourth quarter, when Orlando rookie Paolo Banchero attacked the rim but couldn’t get off a clean shot through the defense of Montrezl Harrell, who deflected the ball out to Harden for a defensive rebound.
Harrell, not Harden, was credited for the rebound.
James Harden finished one rebound shy of a triple-double tonight…
This sequence resulted in a Montrezl Harrell rebound 🤔
Harden Triple-Double (+905) ❌ pic.twitter.com/mps0To1xdt
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) February 2, 2023
The issue here is the nature of how tipped rebounds are credited in the NBA, which leaves things up to interpretation. By rule, a player who purposely tips a missed shot to a teammate is credited with the rebound. But while Harrell definitely tipped the ball to Harden, it doesn’t appear to be controlled or purposeful. Harden isn’t even in the area Harrell tips the ball. He runs to that area after the ball is blindly deflected.
Bettors did what they do in moments of close calls like these and flocked to social media to find other people complaining about the same thing. There were certainly a few, leaving comments to apparently convince the NBA to make a stat correction or sportsbooks to credit Harden with another rebound regardless of the official ruling.
@NBAOfficial @nbastats @j2110_ @DKSportsbook we need some answers here … how is that a controlled trip by trez??? Do what’s right! https://t.co/vk8ViP0hsG
— Ryan Johnson (@ryann_johnson21) February 2, 2023
This is the bs that happens when folks start betting triple doubles and double doubles. The NBA stats folks starts taking rebounds and assists away from players 🤦🏽♂️ https://t.co/EhYxsk33Rg
— MannyFreshBets (@MannyFreshBets) February 2, 2023
This is wild 😂😂 the @NBAOfficial and sportsbooks out here just fixing stats right in front of us. https://t.co/v87qs7TFr3
— brabbits11 (@brabbits11) February 2, 2023
By my estimation, a reversal is probably unlikely. This isn’t the first time a player has been credited with an iffy rebound under similar circumstances and it won’t be the last.
