Truehoop Article on Fouling In The NBA (and how it relates to Rondo)

[sofutomygaha]

This is a great article, motivated by the Bulls victory over the Heat. It's ironic that a Heat loss inspired this angle, because we all know that, pound-for-pound, Dwyane Wade is one of the nastiest tackle basketball players out there. To Lebron James's credit, he does not play defense this way.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/56135/tackle-basketball-for-the-win

This is a point that I've been trying to make on this board about why slashing guards, particularly ones that are not ace free throw shooters, tend to either adjust their game, bulk up, or spend half of their career injured. When all is said and done, we may view Rajon Rondo as someone who did all three. I will follow the careers of young slashers like John Wall, Derrick Rose, and Eric Gordon with great interest- I think that all three will either begin to pick their spots like Rondo does or they will continue to experience major injuries.

I take pride as a Celtics fan in that, while Kevin Garnett is a devious and dirty basketball player, he is not a hacker. For the most part, I don't think that the Celtics have resorted to this level of dangerous play on defense. Do you guys agree?

[Fafnir]

Terrible article, the one before it on the same topic is even worse.

He's advocating getting rid of fouling at all essentially, you'd be ejected for what are now just fouls if you follow through his line of reasoning. Removing the physical play from defense, but have it remain on offense.

And the C's have resorted to that sort of play frequently, just ask Brad Miller or anyone who banged with Perkins in a series.

[Fafnir]

Furthermore the idea that fouling to prevent a basket is a "technicality" ignores 50+ years of basketball. Its not like teams just figured out that physicallity on defense and offense was important in the 80s/90s.

[Lucky17]

Abbott sure knows which side of HeatSPN's bread is buttered.

[scaryjerry]

Has a better chance then you

[fairweatherfan]

I don't really care about the title because I don't expect Rondo to ever be MVP regardless - it's really really hard to do and LeBron, Durant, etc aren't going anywhere any time soon.

But man, everything Henry Abbott writes is just pure lazy pseudomoralizing garbage.  He's like Bizarro Zach Lowe.

[Fafnir]

I don't really care about the title because I don't expect Rondo to ever be MVP regardless - it's really really hard to do and LeBron, Durant, etc aren't going anywhere any time soon.

But man, everything Henry Abbott writes is just pure lazy pseudomoralizing garbage.  He's like Bizarro Zach Lowe.

He used to produce better articles.

[BballTim]

Furthermore the idea that fouling to prevent a basket is a "technicality" ignores 50+ years of basketball. Its not like teams just figured out that physicallity on defense and offense was important in the 80s/90s.

  One would assume that he never saw teams defend a young(ish) Shaq.

[Lucky17]

Would you rather see James dunk, or get hit in the head? Would you rather see Hinrich meet James in the air, or in a bear hug?

Funny, I can't help but think of Brandon Knight (may he rest in peace) vs. DeAndre Jordan when I read that from Abbott.

[fairweatherfan]

I don't really care about the title because I don't expect Rondo to ever be MVP regardless - it's really really hard to do and LeBron, Durant, etc aren't going anywhere any time soon.

But man, everything Henry Abbott writes is just pure lazy pseudomoralizing garbage.  He's like Bizarro Zach Lowe.

He used to produce better articles.

I vaguely remember thinking he was OK when TrueHoop first went up on ESPN, but I can't remember the last time anything I've seen of his was any good.

[BballTim]

I don't really care about the title because I don't expect Rondo to ever be MVP regardless - it's really really hard to do and LeBron, Durant, etc aren't going anywhere any time soon.

  I'd happily settle for finals mvp.

[CelticsFan9]

I don't really care about the title because I don't expect Rondo to ever be MVP regardless - it's really really hard to do and LeBron, Durant, etc aren't going anywhere any time soon.

  I'd happily settle for finals mvp.

Yep.  Championships matter, not MVPs.

[JoT]

That article was horrible.
I couldn't even finish it and when I read most of it I had to shake my head.

[SHAQATTACK]

he doen't deserve it ...he'll have to learn to shoot and make free throws first and play defense even when he isn't on TV ,  looks like that may never happen so ...really not seeing a MVP with out those basic skills.

[nickagneta]

There's a whole host of players that will never be MVP. Some of them all time greats. I guess Rondo will just have to settle for that.