I’m reading stuff about players not feeling happy and it this or think it’s “weird” and they have every right to. But I find it funny that we have had years of guys intentionally fouling bad free throw shooters 90 feet away from the basket and nothing about “integrity of the game” being an issue.
For the record. I’m fine with that strategy. If you can exploit a weakness to win a game, then you do it. However, I can admit that that is not basketball the way it was intended to be played.
this strategy has been a thing for decades, snd so has the solution. if teams still dont either recruit guys who can make FTs or coach them to improve their FTs, it is on them
I have no problem with hacking but I almost busted out laughing when the Celtics did it up 30 and I laughed when the Suns did it to get Booker 70 points.
I disagree… Hack-a-Hibbert was fundamentally sound I tell ya, fundamentally sound!
I don’t respect integrity arguments regarding a game
NBA just needs to treat a “hack” (off-the-ball) foul the same way “transition take” fouls are (supposed) to be handled:
- The offensive team will be awarded one free throw, which may be attempted by any player on the offensive team in the game at the time that the foul is committed.
- The offensive team will retain possession of the ball.
- The defensive player who commits the take foul will be assessed a common personal foul.
I think that having unskilled giants plodding around and dominating just because they are big is the thing that actually goes against how it was intended to be played.
But I also think free throws in general are stupid.
We want to watch nifty athletes run, pass, and shoot. Hacking is a symptom of the rules that get in the way of that, it’s not the disease.
that is not basketball the way it was intended to be played
The thing entirely within the rules and spirit of the sport that has been possible for almost the entire life of the sport? The thing that involves making the most fundamental shot in the game? The thing that is entirely self-limiting?
Get the fuck out of here.
You should be able to make free throws at a reasonable enough rate as a pro and then coaches won’t employ that strategy.
But I agree that the whining about point differentials is a bit ridiculous.
I just wish it didn’t interrupt the flow of the game and take so long – that’s my only problem with it.
This post is 7 sentences and idk if a single comment here has actually read this post. Incredible stuff folks.
Sure they did, that last sentence invalidated the entire post though
Shaq’s inability to shoot free throws should remove him from the GOAT conversation
Point differential is fine, for 4 games per year the millionaires can try in garbage time.
Neither are an issue
It only works if you are literally incapable if the most basic part if the game.
Like, Giannis is a bad free throw shooter but hack a Giannis isn’t that prevalent because he still CAN make them.
If we’re talking about how basketball was “meant to be played”, players were meant to be capable of making free throws. That’s why they exist.
Basketball was also meant to not include dribbling if we get really pedantic.
What’s the difference between fouling a player who can’t shoot and a star hunting for a switch onto a bad defender?
Both are simply ways of exploiting a weakness in the opposition. Along with 10,000 other ways…
Running up the score in most circumstances is just poor sportsmanship. This is true at every level of sport. But, if the rules are setup to benefit your team doing it, then most people aren’t going to complain about it.