Hack-A-Shaq to be reviewed in the offseason

[Bufalay]

The Suns should just use a blocker. Make this blocker stay between Shaq and the guy who is trying to foul him. That way Barbosa can get the opportunity to miss some freethrows.

 

[cly2tw]

Treat hack-a-X fouls like techinical fouls called after the clock stopped, or before the ball is thrown in from sidelines, or for arguing with refs. If you allow it on court, why not allow it in dead ball situation too? Why not allow to hack it on the bench too? It's all just rules for the good of the game.

 

[abomb]

Why not allow to hack it on the bench too? It's all just rules for the good of the game.

C'mon man, you know the players would be suspended for leaving the bench area.

 

[da_suns_fan]

When you foul someone, you break the rules.



Just because a foul is called, doesn't mean that they didn't break that rule.

Two possible changes to this rule.

If a team intentionally fouls someone away from the ball...:

A) Allow the team to send their best free throw shooter to the line, a la Technical fouls.
B) Allow the team to make a decision to accept the free throws, or decline the foul (like the NFL) and the ball is taken out of bounds.

I think the team should just get the option of free throws or the ball. The foul should still count, just the team that was fouled shouldn't HAVE to take free-throws.

This was one of the options I gave in that "biggest off-season to-do" list.

Smart move by the league and very good for us!!!

 

[Suns_fan69]

I'm against this as well. It's only a problem if you can't make your free throws so the solution should be LEARN TO MAKE YOUR FREETHROWS. It's not like shaq needs to hit 80% to curb this tactic, just 60% shooting gets you 1.2 points per possession.

But you have to realize that the NBA stopped being a true sport a while back. It's now in the business of entertainment and as such I could totally see the committee passing the rule change because frankly, nobody wants to see Shaq clank FT after FT.

 

[Chaplin]

Leave Shaq out of the equation. I doubt James Naismith envisioned these kind of idiotic tactics when he invented the game.

First and foremost, basketball is a game, and Hack-A-Shaq is not a part of that game. It's nothing but bad sportsmanship. The game of basketball isn't predicated on free throws--but this rule makes it so. Everyone should be able to make their free throws, but it's idiotic for people to turn the rule around to be against the person getting fouled, which many of you are doing. Didn't any of you learn ANYTHING from last year's playoffs?

 

[Covert Rain]

The reason the present rule was put into place was deter the practice. At least that's what the league thought when they implemented the current rule. What they didn't realize is that some coaches would take advantage all the way up to the last 2 minutes in the game. So the intent of the rule was never fulfilled.

This isn't about protecting bad free throw shooters as some of you are suggesting. This is about preventing intentional fouls off the ball while exploiting bad free throw shooters at the same time. Fouling off the ball is not part of the game. It's only become part of the game because coaches see a loop whole in the rule and try to take advantage.

I love the idea of giving the team the option to take the ball out of bounds or shoot a free throw based on who was fouled off the ball.

Leave Shaq out of the equation. I doubt James Naismith envisioned these kind of idiotic tactics when he invented the game.

First and foremost, basketball is a game, and Hack-A-Shaq is not a part of that game. It's nothing but bad sportsmanship. The game of basketball isn't predicated on free throws--but this rule makes it so. Everyone should be able to make their free throws, but it's idiotic for people to turn the rule around to be against the person getting fouled, which many of you are doing. Didn't any of you learn ANYTHING from last year's playoffs?

Not to mention that if you have to resort to rule exploitation to win a ball game, then you probably shouldn't have won the game at all.

 

[CaptainInsano]

The moment dirty pops, creator of the horrygate scandal overdid it by also trying his new tactic on chandler, he pretty much sealed the hack-a-shaqs fate.

 

[Andrew]

FINALLY...

Justice prevails...

 

[MigratingOsprey]

even at 50% FT shooting it's still a free point every possession - it's not used that widely as the effect is more mental and slowing tempo as opposed to slowing scoring

even if shaq makes only the 2nd FT it should be an advantage to his team as they get 2 points in 2 possessions (similar to 50% shooting from the field) and they get to set their defense while the other team accumulates fouls

not only do the individual fouls go up, but they are now in the penalty - so if have an off the ball or non shooting foul against one of the suns better shooters they get the benefit of going to the line

i definitely don't think this should change

there are about 10 other things I would change to modify the game to the size and speed of todays athletes that would have a broad effect

this will only help teams from fouling a guy who has like 2 years left in his tank who has shown no dedication to improving this aspect of his game in a situation that happens a handful of times a season

 

[dreamcastrocks]

there are about 10 other things I would change to modify the game to the size and speed of todays athletes that would have a broad effect

like?

I want 10 things too..

 

[D-Dogg]

[2] Anyone can shoot it.

I think this is a good solution...treating it basically as a "team" foul.

 

[btimsah]

The problem with hack a shaq isnt that it works, or that Shaq doesnt hit all his free throws. The problem is that it's unwatchable, slows the game down and bugs the fans who want to watch a game.

A couple o' times Hack a Shaq really helped the Suns. Yet I still hate it.

 

[Louis]

Great post MO.

 

[cly2tw]

What's the definition of "techinical foul" anyway? Doesn't Hack-a-Shaq fit the spirit of "techinical foul"?

Actually, a flagrant foul should be considered two technicals, in order to optimally deter them from occurring.

 

[cly2tw]

The problem with hack a shaq isnt that it works, or that Shaq doesnt hit all his free throws. The problem is that it's unwatchable, slows the game down and bugs the fans who want to watch a game.

A couple o' times Hack a Shaq really helped the Suns. Yet I still hate it.

It's because it's not a natural basketball strategy, but one that exploits the loopholes in the current rule book.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

like?

I want 10 things too..

a lot of cosmetic things that open it up - increasing the size of the floor, going to the trapezoid lane, finding a way to keep the euros from turning it into soccer with phantom flopping (which is difficult because I do believe in selling a call) - re-establishing basic calls like traveling & palming -

 

[abomb]

I would be open to an unsportsmanlike tech.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think this is a good solution...treating it basically as a "team" foul.

I think someone else mentioned doing that in this thread........

 

[nowagimp]

The moment dirty pops, creator of the horrygate scandal overdid it by also trying his new tactic on chandler, he pretty much sealed the hack-a-shaqs fate.

Pops used it too much, it worked, and the league(and I'll bet the general public) didnt think it was entertaining at all, but just plain ugly. Hack a shaq strategy makes basketball a dull sport, baseball has more action. Without hack a shaq and hack a skinner, the spurs wouldnt have been in position to tie and then win game 1. It also appeared to work in game 5, when shaq went 9-20 in FT's. In the end the spurs werent good enough to beat the hornets anyway.

 

[da_suns_fan]

I think this is a good solution...treating it basically as a "team" foul.

I dont' think so...then players won't want to play any defense cuz they know if they foul the other teams best shooter is automatically going to the line.


The team that was fouled should have the option of two free throws (by the person that was fouled) or just the ball back.

 

[D-Dogg]

I dont' think so...then players won't want to play any defense cuz they know if they foul the other teams best shooter is automatically going to the line.


The team that was fouled should have the option of two free throws (by the person that was fouled) or just the ball back.

Huh? That would only apply to away from the ball intentional fouls. Not fighting for position defensive fouls.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

I haven't read through the whole thread, so I'm sure this has been addressed, but a foul away from the ball during any point in the game should be treated exactly as it is treated right now during the last two minutes of each half, period. A foul off the ball should always be a shot and the ball side out....

 

[Covert Rain]

Huh? That would only apply to away from the ball intentional fouls. Not fighting for position defensive fouls.

Agreed. Although it might be hard to differentiate a grabbing foul. Was the player grabbing the guy to prevent him from getting position or was I grabbing him to cause an intentional foul?

 

[da_suns_fan]

Huh? That would only apply to away from the ball intentional fouls. Not fighting for position defensive fouls.

Maybe I wasn't clear.

What Im saying is if there was an away from the ball foul when the team fouling is already over the limit, the team that was fouled should simply have the option of:

1) The player fouled gets two free throws
2) The team gets possession of the ball out of bounds.

I don't like the "anyone can take the free throws" idea. Imagine if Amare was called for an offensive away from the ball foul when the Suns were over the limit. Lets say he fouled Oberto. This would mean Ginobili would get to take the free throws.

Thats just silly to me.