2015-16 NBA Thread (feat. the Wives)

We're just going to have to live with Hack-A-Whoever. Too many people in charge who shake their fist and growl "Make your damn free throws" as the way to stop it.

 

Warriors @ 76ers tonight. Warriors are as much as -9900. Sixers only going up to +3500 though.

 

Hack-a-whoever doesn't bother me.

There are endless, interminable time outs. I've seen the last ninety seconds of a game take 20 minutes to finish. TV timeouts. Coach's timeouts. Five minutes to review a ref's decision.

And I am supposed to now be indignant because I get to watch DeAndre Jordan go 2-10 in free throws?

 

The hack a whoevers may be annoying, but I just have a problem with the idea of changing the rules to make things easier for the few guys who never learned to do the simplest damn thing in the sport. Here's an idea, maybe coaches should stop giving so many minutes to players who can't make a stinkin free throw, the problem disappears immediately when "that" guy goes to the bench.

 

Stoney, the problem is that the guy being fouled because he can't make free throws is usually of vital importance to the team in all the other aspects of the game. You gonna bench Shaq? Or Wilt?

 

At least in the playoffs last year, the strategy hurt the fouling team. Even though the target did miss most of his free throws, the other team's offense ground to a halt. That's how the Spurs-Clippers series went anyway.

 

The spread is 18. I know full well how unpredictable sports can be, but man. That sure seems like a safe bet.

 

Yeah. But this is a game that the Warriors will get very conscious of minutes. They've even been known to sit guys out for "maintenance" at the start of trips.

They'll probably blow the doors off anyway, though. Their third team could play the Sixers' starters to a standstill.

 

Well, I guess that decision is up to the coach. But, YES, I do believe Shaq or Wilt's coach should be required to make the strategic decision of whether to take Shaq or Wilt out in situations where his awful free throw shooting might result in more harm than good, and I don't think we should be making up new rules to take that strategic decision out of the game.

Free throw shooting is a basketball skill. With every other basketball skill, teams are allowed to strategically exploit those who are weak at it. When teams see a guy who can't defend off the dribble, they drive at that guy relentlessly; if they see a guy with no shooting range, they pack zones to cut off driving lanes and force him to shoot from the perimeter; when they see a guy has a poor handle they trap and press him to see if he'll turn it over, etc. And, in all those other cases, coaches are forced to make a decision whether to take out the player who's being exploited, or whether to reduce his minutes until he improves that weakness.

I don't think piss poor free throw shooters should be given a pass from being treated the same way. To create another new rule telling coaches they can't strategize against poor free throw shooters the same way they do against any other skill weakness, and which essentially mollycoddles and excuses the Deandre Jordans of the League for never developing an elementary skill. Aesthetically I understand why some people want the rule change, but the basketball purist in me remains disdainful of the idea.

 

Oh, I agree with you completely about the rule. It should stay as is. If Wilt's worth it to you, then deal with the clanks at the line down the stretch.

 

All fouls in the last 2 minutes are 2 shot fouls, except in the act of shooting and Off ball fouls and fouls committed when the clock is stopped are intentional, by rule.

 

I can't stand free throws. I think they are as backwards as a football player having to touch a ball to the ground to score six points.

If there was a way to eliminate them totally, I would be all for it. God, do they slow a game down.

Maybe a point plus possession on all shooting fouls and after five fouls, give teams a point and possession on all non-shooting fouls. Shit, you could have 30-minute halves in college and play them in 45 minutes.

And no one would foul out. But that's another thread.