On Proposed NBA Rule Changes

I think the NBA is moving in the right direction if they start passing out fines for players flopping. It's getting ridiculous and there is no need for it in basketball (or soccer, for that matter).

Unfortunately, the league is missing the boat by not addressing the rules that allow the "Hack-A-Shaq" strategy for the majority of the game. The following quote came from Stu Jackson:

"But in the end, there wasn't enough support to change it. ... There was a feeling that by changing the rule you would be essentially rewarding a player for a lack of skill by allowing him to stay in the game."

There isn't anything wrong with Jackson saying that. But, I still disagree that you are rewarding a player for a lack of skill. You aren't rewarding him for a lack of skill if you change it, you are unfairly penalizing him for lacking a certain skill by not changing it. Shaq isn't a good FT shooter. If you don't give him the ball on offense, he should rarely be put in the situation that he has to shoot FT's. It's possible that someone (driving a big-rig) will run him over when he's setting a screen, thus sending him to the line. But, that's pretty unlikely.

FT shooting is a skill. So is ball-handling. Ditto for three-point shooting. If you can make Shaq shoot FT's, why not put in a rule that allows you to force DeSagana Diop to bring the ball upcourt? By not forcing Diop to handle the ball in the open court, aren't you "essentially rewarding a player for a lack of skill by allowing him to stay in the game"? And, while Jason Kapono led the league in three-point FG percentage at 48.3%, his Toronto teammate, PG TJ Ford, shot just 29.4% from behind the arc. There isn't a rule that allows you to force TJ Ford to shoot 24-footers, rather than trying to beat his man off the dribble. Aren't you "essentially ..." (do I really need to include the entire sentence?)? Diop is on the court to defend and rebound. Ford is out there to create off the dribble and lead an uptempo style offense.

"Hack-A-Shaq" isn't good for basketball, just like forcing Diop to handle the ball against pressure in the open court and forcing Ford to shoot from beyond the arc wouldn't be good for the game. So, why protect the rule that allows the "Hack-A-Shaq" strategy (and I use that term loosely)? It would be great if everyone in the league had a skill set similar to the one possessed by the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James (with a little better "J"), Tracy McGrady, Manu Ginobli (without the flopping), Paul Pierce, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, etc. But, that's not the case.

I love watching Tyson Chandler play because he knows his role. He rebounds and plays defense. And, if Chris Paul throws it up by the rim, Chandler slams it down. More long, young, athletic players need to take a long, hard look at Chandler's impact on games. However, he doesn't shoot FT's well. He's limited on the offensive end in general, and I'm sure he doesn't have a great stroke from downtown. Does that mean he shouldn't be allowed to run alongside Chris Paul and his fellow Hornets? Come on.