Hack-a-Shaq & Replays to be reviewed

[Andrew]

Commish: Fouling away from ball, replay to be reviewed

NBA commissioner David Stern said Wednesday that the league will consider changing its rules on fouls away from the basketball in addition to reviewing the use of replay for game clock malfunctions when the competition committee meets in Orlando at the end of the month.

Speaking to reporters at the Staples Center before he presented the Most Valuable Player award to Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, Stern said, "I think there are two subjects that are going to get some attention by the competition committee. No. 1 is review on clock situations. And No. 2 is the whole intentional fouls away from the play etc. I don't know what the results will be in each one, but I think those are worthy of some considered attention."

Hopefully the outcome will be that the Hack-a-Shaq technique's usage will be restricted so that it cannot bring the game to a screeching halt. I wouldn't mind if it was outlawed completely but I think the restrictions need to be extended beyond the final two minutes of the fourth quarter.

The instant replay issue seems pretty straightforward, the league has even acknowledged that Billups' three should not have counted so it's obvious backup measures need to be in place in the event that the clock malfunctions and a shot is disputed, whether it's the use of a stopwatch or the timing synched over the video as Stern mentioned.

[Patr1ck]

If I were a referee, I would call an obvious intentional foul on the Spurs for their off-ball Hack-a-Shaq tactics. It was a lazy and cheap defensive strategy, and another reason San Antonio is boring to watch.

Something definitely needs to be done about the clock issues. Anyone remember the Boston-Atlanta game not too long ago where they had the PA announcer announce how much time was left on the clock because the shot clock was out?

Timecoding video sounds like a good backup plan, but the league needs to take steps to make sure these clock problems are eliminated, at the very least minimized.

[Matt]

I don't mind the hack-a-shaq. It's an interesting strategy that shares the risk.

[Laxation]

So they change the fouling rules just to benefit the players who can't shoot free throws?

Fuck that...

[Patr1ck]

Fuck that...

So, the intentional off-ball fouls are exciting strategies to see in the playoffs, aren't they? Not only is that boring and slows the game down with play stoppages, it's just an unfair defensive strategy, nobody wants to see that shit.

However, if Shaq has the ball, I don't care if they hack him. He can't hit freethrows, that's his problem.

[Sauru]

i never liked the hack a shaq thing myself, but it fits within the rules and it got the spurs back into some games. if shaq wants to prevent it then get that % up

[Alejandrov011]

It can be a strategy.. but the game becomes boring... slow... it is maybe abit fun seeing Shaq shooting... but is better to see a normal game


Extend the 2' restriction! Becuase maybe the spurs in this current series starts doing a Hack-a-Chandler ¬¬

[BigKaboom2]

How do you restrict fouling more than making them illegal?

I don't see why the rules need to ensure that the game is "fun" and "exciting" - if you want that to be guaranteed go watch wrestling or something that isn't so unpredictable.

If I were a referee, I would call an obvious intentional foul on the Spurs for their off-ball Hack-a-Shaq tactics.

This sounds nice and everything except there's no such thing as intentional fouls according to the rulebook. If you want to call grabbing a player's arm a flagrant foul, I would likely decry that as ridiculous.

And Pdub, I'd be interested to know why you consider it an "unfair defensive strategy" to rack up team fouls and give away uncontested shots at the basket.

[Laxation]

Yes, it does make the game slow and boring - but it wouldn't happen if players could hit free throws.

There is no sense in changing the rules to suit players who are shit at something.

Its just like moving the 3 point line into about 6 feet so people like Shaq can hit 3 pointers. Hell, that would sure make the game more exciting!

We could even lower the rings so all players could dunk a lot easier, thatd be fun.

[Patr1ck]

Literally, it's not unfair, it's actually a hole in the rulebook that the defending champs are exploiting. I think it is unfair is that it allows a team to get by without playing defense. Why do you think the NBA is reviewing it?

Your right about the intentional foul, they are regarded as flagarants.

The one thing I don't want to imply is that the rule should be changed because Shaq is a bad free throw shooter, or for other players poorly skilled from the line. It's a personal opinion of what I don't want to see when I watch a basketball game.

[Matthew]

I fully expect a rule change for poor 3 point shooters to be brought into place so defenses can't "exploit" a weakness by not guarding them. Pathetic. Shaq can't shoot ft's. Take him out them and move on.

[Laxation]

Literally, it's not unfair, it's actually a hole in the rulebook that the defending champs are exploiting. I think it is unfair is that it allows a team to get by without playing defense.

They do play defence. They let a shitty FT shooter try to shoot, and then get the ball back.

Why do you think the NBA is reviewing it?

Because theres a lot of people with short attention spans who can't stand to watch players brick FTs

The one thing I don't want to imply is that the rule should be changed because Shaq is a bad free throw shooter

If shaq was a good FT shooter, he wouldn't get fouled, and it wouldn't be an issue.

[Laxation]

whoops...

[Matt]

"it's just an unfair defensive strategy"

not really......a player just needs to make 50% of his FT's for the strategy to fail. That way the offense will be getting the equivalent of a 2pnt FG every other possession. These are turnover free possessions too.

[Andrew]

There's nothing wrong with exploiting a player's weakness. With Shaq being such a poor free throw shooter, putting him on the line instead of letting him make a shot is a no brainer. By all means wrap up Shaq and other poor free throw shooters as soon as they get the ball and force them to make free throws.

I just don't like it that teams can commit the foul away from the ball. I don't think it's within the spirit of the game or sportsmanship to avoid playing the ball like that and foul a poor free throw shooter - especially when he's nowhere near the ball - before a team even brings the ball into the frontcourt. It just doesn't seem sporting when the opposing player doesn't even need to have the ball in his hands for you to commit the intentional/"professional" foul to stop the clock and put him on the free throw line.

I guess you could argue that unintentional off the ball fouls happen and a ban on off the ball Hack-a-Shaq could lead to teams being unfairly penalised but I think referees can make a common sense ruling on when a foul was intentionally made to stop the clock and put a player on the line and when there's simply been too much contact when players are battling for position. Considering there's already a restriction in place in the fourth quarter, I don't think the referees would have any trouble correctly identifying the situation if the restrictions were extended or the tactic was banned outright.

Besides, even if intentional/"professional" fouls cannot occur away from the ball, bad free throw shooters are still going to be a liability since it would still be legal to foul them and put them on the line as soon as they touched the ball, which in the case of Shaq or Dwight Howard would disrupt the offense and limit their effectiveness.

[Matthew]

If the NBA cared about sportsmanship, they'd ban Bruce Bowen and introduce tough sanctions against flopping.

You're making it sound like off the ball fouls are vicious plays. If they waited until shaq touched the ball, chances are he will still try to go up with it and if a defender is holding onto his waist theres no telling what damage could be done.

People talk about how the NBA changed rules to "help Michael Jordan dominate", but seriously, this is a joke. I can't believe the league is even looking into it.

[Andrew]

I don't mean they're unsportsmanlike in that they're dangerous or violent, because they certainly aren't. But where's the sport if you can hold and intentionally foul a player in the frontcourt immediately after his teammates inbound the ball close to 90 feet away? If eliminating the Hack-a-Shaq off the ball is rewarding lousy foul shooters, isn't allowing it giving teams a free pass on defense?

[Matthew]

Free throws are a part of the sport. If you can't make them, you don't belong out there.

[Laxation]

introduce tough sanctions against flopping.

please!

[Sauru]

If the NBA cared about sportsmanship, they'd ban Bruce Bowen and introduce tough sanctions against flopping.

this quote should just shut the thread down, cant get better than this

[Lean]

The 'Hack-a-bad-free-throw-shooter' is a strategy that is lame pace-wise but a good way of exploiting one of the offensive team's weakness. When I saw a game of the Spurs-Suns series and they did the Hack-a-Shaq just when Nash got through the frontcourt, I said "very nice strategy." The Suns didn't have a chance to setup a play in some possessions.

Shaq should learn to shoot free throws. He's like more than a decade in the NBA but still can't shoot well at the line.

[Andrew]

My only objection is that the defense can foul away from the ball, which means they can hold and foul a guy in the frontcourt before his teammates have even brought the ball past their own three point line. Free throws are a part of the game and as long as it's allowed a team would be foolish not to try and exploit a weakness in that manner when it benefits them but defense is supposed to be part of the game too and the off the ball Hack-a-Shaq is almost rewarding teams for not wanting to play defense. Besides, fouls certainly aren't a part of the game, at least not a sanctioned part of it. It's just that the concept of professional fouls has become an acceptable part of some sports.

Anyway, just because they're reviewing it doesn't mean that they'll necessarily take any action but if they do, maybe they could extend the restriction so that it can't be used in the final two minutes of any quarter unless the player has possession. If they decide not to change anything then I'm not about to boycott the NBA or anything like that. I also agree if they place further restrictions on Hack-a-Shaq then they should be doing something about flopping and the like.

The clock issue is one that should definitely result in changes though. Even though Billups' shot didn't necessarily cost Orlando the game given that a whole quarter was played after the disputed shot, the equipment could easily malfunction at a more critical juncture so there should be a contigency plan in place.

[Laxation]

rewarding teams for not wanting to play defense.

Its punishing players for not wanting to learn how to shoot free throws.

[Andrew]

Yes, it does punish poor free throw shooters but it also benefits teams who don't want to defend the play. Why bother defending it when you can stop in two seconds in by fouling a player without the ball? By all means exploit the Shaqs and Ben Wallaces of the NBA but there's not much sport in being able to freely foul them away from the ball the second it's inbounded.

[Matthew]

Free throws are a part of the game and as long as it's allowed a team would be foolish not to try and exploit a weakness in that manner when it benefits them but defense is supposed to be part of the game too and the off the ball Hack-a-Shaq is almost rewarding teams for not wanting to play defense.

But the hack a shaq is their defense, as cheap as it may be. It's not "not playing defense", it's just taking the best available option. Shaq should just deal with it like Ben Wallace does and accept being subbed out.