James Harden inexplicably passed out of a WIDE OPEN three-point shot

This is the strangest basketball play I’ve seen all postseason.

James Harden, the likely MVP and incredible three-point shooter, spent approximately five seconds standing wide open behind the three-point line in Game 4 against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. He had just stolen the ball, and his team had gone about five minutes without scoring, only for Harden to finally get them on the board. He had a chance to score again ... and, well, just didn’t shoot it.

I think we all assumed for a moment that he was just waiting for a second, gathering himself so he could unleash a properly balanced triple with his excellent shooting stroke. Draymond Green decided he was far enough away that he didn’t even need to bother running at him, and Harden still didn’t take the shot. Then he passed it to a much worse three-point shooter, P.J. Tucker, who had no real advantage and had to pass the ball out. The Rockets didn’t score on that possession, and definitely didn’t end up with a better shot than a wide-open Harden three.

I have absolutely no clue why Harden wouldn’t take that shot. I wrote glowingly about his offensive game last month, and deservedly so, but this is unlike anything I saw all year.

Maybe the ball slipped? I find that hard to believe. He had plenty of time.

Maybe he thought Green would run at him and Tucker would have an open dunk? I also find that hard to believe. Green clearly wasn’t doing that.

Maybe he had seen Chris Paul have a similar play moments before, and saw that Paul missed the jumper?

I don’t know, man. Harden’s playing well otherwise so far in Game 4, but this one doesn’t make any sense.