I think it is the absolute stupidest feature of the sport - that a viable strategy to win the game… is to break the rules of the game.
penalties/fouls should be decline-able, like in football, to get rid of this asinine part of the game.
That is a really good idea. The interesting and strategic part would be declining a foul when a bad free throw shooter gets fouled. I can’t think of a time that I have ever seen where fouling was a good strategy and think it is just what they do because everyone is so trained.
When a team is losing, doesn’t have possession and time will expire before the shot clock does?
It’s not just hack-a-Shaq, they also do it at the end of games when up by three and the other team has time for one more possession: instead of letting them take a 3 to tie it, put them on the line and force them to get a rebound to have a chance.
I would actually like the NCAA to give the team that gets fouled the two premium rebounding positions when lining up for the foul shot. So if they miss the foul shot, they have the best chance at getting the rebound.
In the last two minutes of the game.
Agreed. Or at a minimum make it like hockey where the play doesn’t stop on a foul. Call a delayed foul until the action stops. If a guy has a breakaway chance, why can a touch from behind blow the play dead?
Wouldn’t coaches overcome this by making sure that the defender actually holds the other player so that play cannot continue?
well it’s not like time won’t keep running.
How would you put this into practice? Make the offensive team have to run infinite inbounds plays just to burn a little clock? If that was how it worked coaches would just take the shots anyway rather than have to risk a heavily defended inbounds situation over and over and risk an outright turnover, especially when you consider that the defensive team can just foul at will in the attempt to get a steal.
So what you are saying is if a team has a lead and the ball with < 24 seconds left we pretty much decide the game is over.
This doesn’t happen often, but its glorious when it does.
I remember that- the amazing thing about a comeback like this is the Spurs made their free throws
Yes. They had an hour to not end up in that situation. The last 24 seconds aren’t special. Game over.
Basketball is the only non contact sport that requires players to occupy the same space at the same time. Hockey? They can hit each other. Tennis? They have separate sides.
But basketball?
Defense’s coach: “OK, he wants to get from there to the basket. So stand in his way. But don’t look like you’re standing in his way. I don’t know… foul casual. Dance around threateningly, but if he tries to go for the basket, just step out of the way at the last moment and let him pass. Don’t want to foul.”
Offense’s coach: “You need to get to the basket. So just run right to it. Don’t worry about the defenders. They’ll be nice and step out of the way for you. But careful! Sometimes they’re not that nice and the dirty dogs actually step in front of you, if you can believe it! If that happens, try to tap him but make it look like an accident so he gets the foul. Be sure to fall down and flail about. Cry if you have to.”
Terrible rules. They should just be able to hit each other like hockey.
Maybe you could stiffen up the intentional foul rule. Give the team two shots PLUS the ball back.
This is a problem in college basketball because the shot clock is too long. I don’t consider it as much of a problem in the pros.
How about giving the shooter the option of forgoing the second shot and passing to a teammate to start the game again?
Soccer? Racquetball?
Basketball’s not a non-contact sport anyway.
Soccer’s much more of a contact sport than basketball. They tackle, mostly legally. They jostle for position. It’s a rough game. And the field is HUGE comparatively.
Racquetball is turn-based. When it’s your turn, the other guy has to yield all of the ground to you. When it’s his turn, the opposite is true.
Basketball, on the other hand, doesn’t have that kind of structure. If you tag the other guy, it’s a foul. Lame.
Yep. Just like in football, if you have the ball with a lead and first down and 2:00 left, and the other team has no time outs, the game is over. You call three kneel-downs and there’s absolutely nothing anybody can do about it–game over, and move on to next week or next season.
I love college basketball, but the last two minutes of games with six- to twelve-point leads are absolutely unwatchable.