NBA Could widen the lane to *stop* Shaq (Article)

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Sid Hartman, Star Tribune
May 29, 2004


The NBA Board of Governors widened the lane in 1951 to stop George Mikan. They did it again in 1968 to stop Wilt Chamberlain. Now, don't be surprised if it happens a third time in an attempt to slow the Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal.
The Minneapolis Lakers were dominating the NBA, winning titles in 1948-49 and 1949-50 with Mikan being just as dominant a big man as O'Neal is today.

So the owners, unhappy with Mikan's dominance, voted before the 1951-52 season to change the size of the lane from 6 feet wide to 12 feet to try to keep Mikan away from the basket.

It didn't do much good because the Lakers won three more titles. Mikan was slowed but the Minneapolis team changed its style of play some with other superstars contributing more.

In 1968 with the 7-foot Chamberlain dominating the game, the lane was widened to 16 feet.

With the 7-1, 340-pound O'Neal dominating the game, some NBA officials would like to see the lane changed to the international rules. That lane is wider, 19-8 1/2 at the base.

The extra width would force O'Neal to set up farther from the basket to avoid the three-second call and take away some of the advantage he has with his strength and size.

"We have talked many times about putting in the international lane," said Kevin McHale, the Timberwolves' vice president of basketball operations. "It will come up again. Maybe that's a way to slow down O'Neal."

Teams sick of losing to the Lakers are going to have to do something. When O'Neal decides to play like he has in the past two games against the Wolves, there really isn't any way to defend him.

Link here

Cant beat them, so they just change the rules so he will be stopped....bunch of crybabies

[Drex]

Damn, Shaq's still more quick than most of the others centers in the league.

bunch of crybabies

Agree, I don't like the idea. Just try to defend the man. If you can't, well, bad luck for you and your team, but don't change rules for one player, as dominant as he is.

[GloveGuy]

If they wanted this to be done, they should've done it in 2000. This is awful timing.

Shaq's obviously on the decline of his career. He's not where he was in his prime. You could even make a case that there are more dominating or equally dominating players currently in the NBA.

It's not that I disagree with all of this, but how come they didn't do this four or three years ago, when Shaq was at the peak of his domination? Yeah he's still dominating, but if you're going to widen the lanes, it would still affect other players, the other dominating big men(KG and Garnett, EDIT: KG and Duncan).

[kevC]

and Yao

[.]

and Yao

Yao is playing good, not dominating

[kevC]

Oh he will

[Jackal]

Well when he starts dominating, we'll talk then.

On the lane widening, how pathetic is this?

Everytime a player dominates too much, you're just going to widen the lane? What ever happened to just playing defense? If he woops your butt, so be it. Tough luck, not his fault he's as big & strong as he is. It's not his fault you couldnt lure him to your own team.

"We have talked many times about putting in the international lane," said Kevin McHale, the Timberwolves' vice president of basketball operations. "It will come up again. Maybe that's a way to slow down O'Neal."

McHale = stupid. Does he stop to think for a moment how it will affect his own superstar player? No. McHale is just a sore loser as are the others willing to vote for this crap. Did they stop to think: What if Shaq was a part of my team, would I want this thing to go through? No.

Another thing, they widened the lane for Mikan, what happened? Wilt Chamberlain came along, they widened it for him too, what happened? Shaquille O'Neal came along, they might widen it for Shaq, what will happen? A player who's used to playing with it like the way it's widened, will dominate. What will they do then? Widen the lane, again?! Yeah, that's a good solution. Keep widening the lane till you reach the god damn sidelines, smartness written all over this plan.

[Colin]

I don't think it will affect KG much, it means his fadeaways from the block will be from 1 and a half feet further away. Most of his stuff is quickness with space between him and the hoop to put on a move. He's not a power his way into good position guy like shaq.

[Jackal]

If it affects them alot or if it affects them a little, it affects them.

Duncan plays power over his man at times, won't it affect him?

Whatever you say, it affects every player. Some way or another, it affects their game. Like you said, maybe not alot...but it does.

I still dislike the idea, so what if I'm biased?

"Oh, we cant stop him while playing, lets just do it by changing rules, yay...so simple. We rule."

It's like something a damn school girl would do to the popular cheerleader. Oh, too popular, never become like her...let's get her from the back.

(Dont ask, some weird stuff in my mind.)

[Carmo]

(KG and Garnett).

The same person mate!

[Andrew]

I don't care for the idea. The change saw Mikan's scoring average drop about five points per game and Wilt's drop by about 4, though Wilt was also traded to the Lakers during that same offseason. His average climbed about 7 points the following year. I would suggest that it didn't make a whole lot of difference.

If the owners want to slow down Shaq by changing the rules, they should lobby to have the offensive foul rules amended. That would be a good way to use Shaq's size against him, even without flopping.

[streakshooter]

there's a reason why Andrew is the site admin, he makes sense!

...actually the thing is to enforce the offensive foul rules on Shaq....so many elbows.....so many barging-in tactics...so many over-the-backs......

this has got to stop sometime. ever since Shaq Diesel came along all the rules of basketball have been twisted and maligned....

[allamerican08]

I think the first 2 times they widened the lane it was coz the game was kinda new, and they were still exploring how to make it more interesting and bring the fans in. Like the 24 sec shot clock and the chiken wire. plus a whole bunch of other rules.
Now all ull be doing is stoping a player from playing his game. U migh as well have put the ring to 11 feet to stop players like T-mac, Vice and Lebron dunking everytime they r in the lane!, or MJ bak in his days. Shaq will adjust but rules should be changed to enhance the game, not to stop a player. Its not like Shaq gets 50 ppg, like Wild did or Miken, (although he had much less). Coaches have stratagied to stop him.
Next thing u know the rim will be 11 feet high.

[Andrew]

I don't think they'd raise the rim to slow down Shaq. Raising the rim gives taller players a much greater advantage.

[Soul Glo]

Widening the key would also give the guards more room to get to the basket. Opens up the drive for the Kobe's and Tmac's.

So should be interesting either way.

[Matt]

If the NBA widens the lane it should be a good reason and not something stupid like stopping Shaq.

If the league is to enforce OFFENSIVE fouls, then they should also enforce DEFENSIVE fouls. Shaq gets fouled more than any player in the league and a lot of it slides buy. If he's gonna get called for every offensive foul then everyone should be called for every defensive foul.....that way it will be fair

[hmm]

.

[matmat8]

Id like to have international rules so i wouldn't be against that.
It makes nonsense though to change the rules for one player...even if its shaq...
He is in his decline and spurs prooved last year lakers could be beaten.
It's just this year they're too good.

[Gripni]

NO

You can't change the rules just to make it fair. This isn't a bunch of kids playing for fun. These are professional athletes. When I was playing football, one kid was dominating, scoring every time he touched the ball. We made a rule that said on returns, he was 2 hand touch. Nobody had a problem (although he was pissed off, but he let it go) because it wasn't fun for anyone else. This is completely different. You are getting paid to do this, and so is Shaq. It is your job to stop Shaq, not the NBA's job. Do it yourself. If they want to do it how it is internationally, then that's okay, but they have to change all the other rules to international standards. Shaq hasn't done anything wrong, he's played by the rules. Why can't he dominate?

[Jay-Peso]

I don't think they'd raise the rim to slow down Shaq. Raising the rim gives taller players a much greater advantage.

I was reading an article a couple months back and they were talking about raising it to 11 ft. because of all the people being able to do crazy dunks. It was a mere suggestion at the time and it seems that the NBA must of threw it out.

For the lane being widened, I don't think it will do to much because if he still is getting away with his offensive fouls then he is going to score still.

So I say do not change because it will have a very small effect on what they are trying to accomplish.

[Amphatoast]

I say leave the rules alone. Changing for 1 guy isn't a good idea. In the earlier days, basketball was young and new and had to undergo changes, but now its been around for a while so leave it alone. Give Yao 2 to 3 more years and he will be able to stop Shaq I think ( combo of older shaq+ better yao)

[Micchy_boy]

i just think that widening the lane will not only to affect big guy like shaq,yao,kg and duncan. but i also think that it will affect players who like to drive or penetrate like kobe,tmac,ai james and other players coz the lane will be more open.

also about this changing rule it sucks. what if someone came in the league and dominate let say in three pt shooting or free throw, will they try to make the free throw or 3 pt line far than the usual.

[matmat8]

Rules sometimes need to be changed to make the game better.
If one day the rim has to be higher (that will happen, trust me) than do it same for widening the lane but please don't change the rules for 1 player.
You have dominant and great players in the league and that's what's great about it.
If you start changing the rules to make (great) players worse what's the point

[Ben-le-ouf]

IT SUCKS !

No comment. Everything was said previously.

[Ruff Ryder]

Shaq will be out of the League in a couple of years. They widened the lane 17 years apart between Mikan and Wilt. SInce Wilt had the lane widened, it has been 36 years.

How many more years will it be until there is another center like Shaq, Wilt, or Mikan. Leave the lane as it is. Shaq is just smart and using everything to his advantage.


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