That said, I hope they change the rule. After tonight's game

The other night Houston turned the Detroit game into a mockery in a loss.

Not sure what principal fans think they are protecting here?

This has been going on for a few years with Jordan and he's still bad. It simply is NOT motivation for bad free throw shooters who don't try to get better. Of course Jordan has tried to get better. It just doesn't work that way.

I hate the hack-a-shaq strategy though, especially early on in the game. Aside from it being boring for the fans to watch, the fouling team gets their own guys into foul trouble, and unless you're doing it EVERY damn time down the floor, you run the risk of bumping into a Chris Paul or JJ Reddick and giving them 2 free attempts to kill your own momentum since you're already in the penalty.

It definitely needs to be addressed with a rule change in some form.

markvmc wrote:Don't see a problem here myself. A player has a weakness, you use up a team/personal foul to exploit that weakness. Why change the rules to make up for a flaw in a player's game?

Because it makes for games that are awful to watch.

Knickoftime wrote:

NYKBocker wrote:

markvmc wrote:Don't see a problem here myself. A player has a weakness, you use up a team/personal foul to exploit that weakness. Why change the rules to make up for a flaw in a player's game?

I agree. You want them to stop using that strategy? Hit your damn free throws!!

So if your favorite team is playing Detroit or LA, you WANT to watch an opposing player go to the line 36 times?

That's a enjoyable experience for you?

NYKBocker wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

NYKBocker wrote:

markvmc wrote:Don't see a problem here myself. A player has a weakness, you use up a team/personal foul to exploit that weakness. Why change the rules to make up for a flaw in a player's game?

I agree. You want them to stop using that strategy? Hit your damn free throws!!

So if your favorite team is playing Detroit or LA, you WANT to watch an opposing player go to the line 36 times?

That's a enjoyable experience for you?

If we win then yes.

So you've never seen a bad game your team has won.

Consider yourself lucky. I'm seen some awful ones.

fishmike wrote:my take on the hack a player is this. Its fine, if that player has the ball or its a basketball play. Just mugging a random guy on the floor because he's the weakest FT shooter strikes me as an exploitation of a rule, rather than a legit strategy to win the game. I would treat those fouls as techs. 2 shots and the ball which you have to inbound. Just my 2c

Right, if you want to go by the spirit of the rule, you need to penalize the team who fouls. You can also simply give team the choice of the foul shots or new shot clock & possession.

markvmc wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

markvmc wrote:Don't see a problem here myself. A player has a weakness, you use up a team/personal foul to exploit that weakness. Why change the rules to make up for a flaw in a player's game?

Because it makes for games that are awful to watch.

If fans stop watching, then the NBA might have to have a look at it (sort of like the introduction of the no backpass rule in soccer after the 1990 world cup). But short of that, I don't see this as a compelling reason for a rule change.

Compare: fans likes dunks....why not make the baskets shorter so we can have more of those, as it would make for a better game to watch.

Not sure why it requires an emergency situation to address it?

The rule isn't a fundamental aspect of the game. Basketball isn't meant to be a free-throw shooting contest. I don't there is anything core to the game of basketball that says if you get the attention of the ref and grab the jersey and sort of pretend to foul someone, they HAVE to shoot free throws.

It's in fact a bastardization of a rule meant to protect players and the integrity of possessions. The only real argument for it is inertia (its what you're used to), which is always a really bad argument.