Hack-a-Shaq

[Bufalay]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3644779

Shaq tells radio station he will make Spurs pay for 'Hack-a-Shaq'

ESPN.com news services




Updated: October 15, 2008, 12:23 PM ET

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Shaquille O'Neal says he'll get back at the San Antonio Spurs for using the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy in games where they lead handily in last season's playoffs.
"The only thing I call cowardly is when you're up by 10 and do it," O'Neal told Phoenix radio station KTAR. "That's a coward move and [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] knows that and I'll make them pay for it."

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The only thing I call cowardly is when you're up by 10 and do it. That's a coward move and he knows that and I'll make them pay for it.

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--Shaquille O'Neal, on KTAR

O'Neal said he thinks the "Hack-a-Shaq", where teams foul O'Neal, a notoriously poor free throw shooter, whenever possible late in games, makes the game less appealing to fans. He said he didn't have a problem with the ploy, only the timing.
O'Neal shot 59 percent from the field last season, but only 50 percent from the free-throw line.
There was talk that the NBA might change the rules on the "Hack-a-Shaq" during the offseason, but that didn't happen. O'Neal was asked if he was disappointed the rules weren't changed. "[The strategy] doesn't work," O'Neal said on KTAR. "You know San Antonio tried it but they went home a couple weeks after we went home.
"I just have to go to the line and hit them and make them pay, and I will, I'm not worried."

He will make them pay? When? I'm pretty sure he had the chance and did a nice job blowing it.

 

[msdundee]

Meaningless threats he knows he can't even believe himself, but they sound good. He just gets more pathetic in every interview.

 

[Irish]

My observation is that he does best when he bends his knees and worst when he stands straight and tries to use his wrists and arms.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i agree that it's a lame rule, but shaq should really shut up. he sounds like a punk. there's a rule in place, other teams know it's your achilles heal. it works. they should use it. get over it or devise some way to make it ineffective, but **** already.

 

[Irish]

Last year the Suns lead the league in shooting percentage at 50%. If Shaq was SURE to hit 50% of his free throws, he'd give the Suns the same scoring as mid range shots. He just can't go for the quarter like he did in the playoffs.

 

[taz02]

Isn't 50% of 2 more than 50% of 1

 

[MigratingOsprey]

on two trips up the floor at a 50% FG range the team would get 2 points on average

on two trips up the floor with shaq getting fouled and shooting 50% he'd make one the first trip and one the 2nd - also providing two points

this would be a wash as far as point production, would cost a team two fouls and put their opponent closer to the bonus

 

[Bada0Bing]

on two trips up the floor at a 50% FG range the team would get 2 points on average

on two trips up the floor with shaq getting fouled and shooting 50% he'd make one the first trip and one the 2nd - also providing two points

this would be a wash as far as point production, would cost a team two fouls and put their opponent closer to the bonus

However, you have a much better chance for an offensive rebound from a FG attempt than a FT attempt.

 

[LakeShowMan]

However, you have a much better chance for an offensive rebound from a FG attempt than a FT attempt.

Maybe. Those odds are a lot closer when Shaq is shooting his bricks up there though.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

agreed - but you can also set up your defense easier on both if the made FT is on the back end

IMO, the strategy doesn't work from a point production standpoint and it's a fairly poor strategy

what it does allow for breaking the pace and head games - since a team can't do it all game long the pace would be something you could bring back to your favor while limiting the oppositions bench - the mental aspect is the key part because to get the pace back you need to be mentally strong and to just brush it off you have to be mentally strong

shaq isn't mentally strong

I think of it like this:

Shaq is challenged by the strategy, basically calling him out on his FT ability and saying that he's a liability to have on the floor

Shaq is unable to make free throws / not be distracted by the strategy so it is defeating him

Since he's being defeated by the strategy he calls out the people who use it as being cowards and questioning their manhood in an effort to shame them into stopping it

It's like the whole knife to the gunfight thing - the guy with the knife says guns are for cowards so why don't we just drop our weapons and settle this like men with fists .......... the smart guy just shoots him anyway

 

[shazaam6]

Shaq is insane. Keeps shooting freethrows right-handed with a messed up wrist and expects to improve. I wonder if he has tried shooting them left-handed. You have all season to practice. 20 million dollar doofus.

 

[Bada0Bing]

agreed - but you can also set up your defense easier on both if the made FT is on the back end

IMO, the strategy doesn't work from a point production standpoint and it's a fairly poor strategy

what it does allow for breaking the pace and head games - since a team can't do it all game long the pace would be something you could bring back to your favor while limiting the oppositions bench - the mental aspect is the key part because to get the pace back you need to be mentally strong and to just brush it off you have to be mentally strong

shaq isn't mentally strong

I think of it like this:

Shaq is challenged by the strategy, basically calling him out on his FT ability and saying that he's a liability to have on the floor

Shaq is unable to make free throws / not be distracted by the strategy so it is defeating him

Since he's being defeated by the strategy he calls out the people who use it as being cowards and questioning their manhood in an effort to shame them into stopping it

It's like the whole knife to the gunfight thing - the guy with the knife says guns are for cowards so why don't we just drop our weapons and settle this like men with fists .......... the smart guy just shoots him anyway

Totally agree. The net gain in points from this strategy probably wasn't that great for the Spurs, but it absolutely changed the flow of the game and threw us out of rythm.

They need to change this rule and give the team the option of declining the free throws and receiving the ball out of bounds instead. The fans don't want to watch a free throw contest and a team shouldn't be penalized for getting fouled. I can’t stand the fouling at the end of a game either. Thank god for the DVR, I used to have to just change the channel.

 

[TheHopToad]

This is kinda like when he said "I make them when they count".

Riiiiiiiiight...

 

[Superbone]

It's obvious he should go to the granny shot but he just won't.

 

[TJ]

How is he gonna make them pay? Is he all of a sudden going to channel his 28 year old self on the court and tear it up for 30 and 15? Is he all of a sudden going to be a 75% FT shooter? Hell no!

Shut your damn mouth, Shaq!

 

[French Fries]

Totally agree. The net gain in points from this strategy probably wasn't that great for the Spurs, but it absolutely changed the flow of the game and threw us out of rythm.

They need to change this rule and give the team the option of declining the free throws and receiving the ball out of bounds instead. The fans don't want to watch a free throw contest and a team shouldn't be penalized for getting fouled. I can’t stand the fouling at the end of a game either. Thank god for the DVR, I used to have to just change the channel.

there i disagree. while i'm a shaq fan and it would benefit the suns a lot, i don't believe it's fair to change the rules for someone who's bad at something. it's only a problem because of shaq's poor ft shooting. we wouldn't be having this discussion had he been shooting 90% or so...

anyway, about hack a shaq, it's really not about the points per possession but the flow of the game, which is bad for a team like the past suns team who relies on the tempo of the game. the change from mike d to porter could possibly cure this a bit (cross fingers)

 

[mathbzh]

Last year the Suns lead the league in shooting percentage at 50%. If Shaq was SURE to hit 50% of his free throws, he'd give the Suns the same scoring as mid range shots. He just can't go for the quarter like he did in the playoffs.

What do you call to be sure to hit 50% of his free throws? Because in PO he hit 50% and a bit more for the season.

For the FG% it is not exactly true because Shaq FG% is around 60%. If he it 50% of his FT, it is still a bargain to send him to the charity stripe.

 

[hafey]

George,

Field goals are worth 2 or 3 points. Free throws only one. Hitting the same percentage will not give the amount of points.

 

[Bada0Bing]

there i disagree. while i'm a shaq fan and it would benefit the suns a lot, i don't believe it's fair to change the rules for someone who's bad at something. it's only a problem because of shaq's poor ft shooting. we wouldn't be having this discussion had he been shooting 90% or so...

anyway, about hack a shaq, it's really not about the points per possession but the flow of the game, which is bad for a team like the past suns team who relies on the tempo of the game. the change from mike d to porter could possibly cure this a bit (cross fingers)

Nah, it's not just because of shaq, I've always thought it was dumb that the team HAD to shoot the free throws. I absolutely hate the end of a game when one team fouls continuously trying to catch up. It seems more like a glitch in the rules than a strategy. The intent of giving free throws is to benefit the fouled team, not the fouling team.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Shaq is insane. Keeps shooting freethrows right-handed with a messed up wrist and expects to improve. I wonder if he has tried shooting them left-handed. You have all season to practice. 20 million dollar doofus.

Rick Barry offered to coach Shaq to shoot the granny style free throw. He told Shaq he could guarantee him to get to 70%. Shaq said he would rather miss than shoot that style.

 

[Irish]

George,

Field goals are worth 2 or 3 points. Free throws only one. Hitting the same percentage will not give the amount of points.

It is important to understand how the math works. Take 6 possessions:

50% from the field - 6 shots, 3 makes is 6 points
33% for three - 6 shots, 2 makes is 6 points
50% from the line - 12 shots, 6 makes is 6 points

Hack a Shaq works because in close Shaq is closer to 60% from the field, so fouling him in the block works if he makes fewer than 60% of his foul shots. But fouling him in the backcourt works only if he shoots worse the 50% from the line.

The Suns shoot close to 40% for three and Amare close to 60% inside not counting "and one" shots. Also, Shaq's shots are short, so offense rebounds often result in scores where as it it is much harder to get offensive rebounds off free throws. So risking 50% from the line is not a terrible bet if the Suns are hot.

The tough part for the Spurs is to be able to put expendible guys on the floor to foul Shaq. D'Antoni did not adjust at all. Pop was not going to use any of his starters, nor Manu and KT. So the only time there was a risk of intentional fouls was when the backups like Vaughn were in. So you knew who was going to do the fouling.

It is legal to run moving picks when the ball is not involved, so there was no reason NOT to give Shaq some blockers. If the fouler is deep into the back court, Shaq can simply delay going onto the court thus pulling the defender out of position and creating a 4 on 4 offense.

Obviously all this goes away if Shaq can simply become a better free throw shooter.

 

[AceP]

I've been very upset for years about Shaq's attitude upon FT issue, even I'm a Shaq fan ever since he joined NBA. He has been so stubborn and refused to put serious effort on it throughout all the past years.

Hack-a-Shaq could be well settled if he makes it to 60%. It is not impossible. In one season, 02-03, he did make it 62.2%, he also had a few other seasons above 55%. It is just about willingness and effort.

Since Shaq talked about it publicly this time, I only hope he realised and accepted that is his duty. There r league best shooters and some excellent shooting coaches in this team. Kerr and Nash should give him some serious talking, even use force, just make him to practice his damn FT and listen to what others teach him. I think a few percent improvement is hopeful.

 

[LakeShowMan]

I've been very upset for years about Shaq's attitude upon FT issue, even I'm a Shaq fan ever since he joined NBA. He has been so stubborn and refused to put serious effort on it throughout all the past years.

Hack-a-Shaq could be well settled if he makes it to 60%. It is not impossible. In one season, 02-03, he did make it 62.2%, he also had a few other seasons above 55%. It is just about willingness and effort.

Since Shaq talked about it publicly this time, I only hope he realised and accepted that is his duty. There r league best shooters and some excellent shooting coaches in this team. Kerr and Nash should give him some serious talking, even use force, just make him to practice his damn FT and listen to what others teach him. I think a few percent improvement is hopeful.

I agree with you in theory AceP. However, as a Laker fan, all I can tell you is not to expect Shaq to make any inroads on his FT shooting.

He will granstand, and tell anyone that will listen that he will make teams pay and 'make them when they count', but at the end of the day he will not improve. Whether it is physilogical (broken wrists), psychological (pride), or just plain ignorance, Shaq has never shown the ability to improve his consistnency in this facet of his game.

 

[French Fries]

Nah, it's not just because of shaq, I've always thought it was dumb that the team HAD to shoot the free throws. I absolutely hate the end of a game when one team fouls continuously trying to catch up. It seems more like a glitch in the rules than a strategy. The intent of giving free throws is to benefit the fouled team, not the fouling team.

heh, the last sentence is a little hard to argue with. ok, you win. to tell you the truth, i wanted the rule to change this offseason as well (i believe i posted something like this months ago). i don't think it's fair but that would be nice. i just don't like the idea of changing the rules because of one individual, and i'm not talking about just fts. remember years back when instead of defensive 3 we had illegal defense? as a shaq fan it sucked big time that they made it that teams were now allowed to tripple or quadruple team him. i heard this was a way to lessen the impact of big men on the court (i'd like to tie to this the fact that the nba has been a guard oriented league). or that rule barkley was talking about, that "leaving the bench" thing that'll lead to suspension and alot more insignificant ones? maybe i just don't like changes, but i believe players or teams and the quality of the game would improve more if there's more time to just play and less time to adjust to new rules...

i don't really have a point, i'm just bored that i'm at home in a friday night...

 

[D-Dogg]

It is important to understand how the math works. Take 6 possessions:

50% from the field - 6 shots, 3 makes is 6 points
33% for three - 6 shots, 2 makes is 6 points
50% from the line - 12 shots, 6 makes is 6 points

Hack a Shaq works because in close Shaq is closer to 60% from the field, so fouling him in the block works if he makes fewer than 60% of his foul shots. But fouling him in the backcourt works only if he shoots worse the 50% from the line.

You didn't mention another main reason teams employ this "defense." It disrupts the flow of the game, and slows down the pace. For a physical team, or a team that likes to milk the shot clock, this is a valuable ploy. Shaq also loses his aggressiveness when he's hacked. You can see the way he "posts up" when it is put on him...he knows it is coming, and lazies his way around. Completely disrupts the offense.

I know. I watched it for years in LA.

It sucks, but it is effective if used strategically. It's like free timeouts, too. Teams like the Larry Brown pistons and Pop's spurs love it to death.