Reacts: No, officials aren’t picking on James Harden and the Nets

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Los Angeles Lakers fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts, and check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

The league’s rule change over the offseason to curb the foul-drawing from jump shooters has led to largely positive results this season... unless you’re the Brooklyn Nets. Steve Nash, James Harden and the Nets have not taken kindly to the new rule with Nash speaking out, saying his star guard was being treated unfairly by referees.

NBA fans, however, do not agree. In our latest SB Nation NBA Reacts survey, an overwhelming majority of said that Harden is not being unfairly targeted with the new rule.

Instead of unfair targeting, what appears to be happening is a correction that is long overdue in how the league officiates star players. Dating well into his tenure with Houston, Harden was a player who took advantage of a flawed system by baiting fouls and getting to the line at an extraordinary rate.

However, this rule change corrected those loopholes, and now Harden’s grifting isn’t being rewarded in the same manner anymore.

For Lakers fans who watched as their team was victim to many of those foul calls against the Rockets, I’m certain there is very little love lost at the sight of Harden not getting the benefit of the whistle this season. Ultimately, as all great players do, Harden will adapt and will continue to be one of the best in the league, but for now, fans can continue to have a laugh at his struggles.

Speaking of the league’s best, Dwight Howard was a notable omission from the NBA’s 75 Greatest Players list released last week. Rather universally, Howard was considered the biggest snub from the list, and certainly was with the Lakers’ fan base.

Howard’s redemption arc with Lakers fans, considering how things ended after the 2012-13 season, continues to be one of the more remarkable turnarounds in the league. Once hated by supporters of the franchise, Howard is now seen a far more endearing light. As the saying goes, a title changes everything.

Elsewhere in the league, former Lakers assistant Jason Kidd has had a mixed bag of results in his first season in charge in Dallas, with his side sitting at 2-1 through Wednesday’s games. Mavericks fans, though, are confident that Kidd won’t be replaced in his first season at the helm, and will have the chance to see things out through his opening year.

While Mavericks fans are confident, there’s no reaction to their confidence in the team’s leadership council:

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