How would you fix the hack a Shaq problem

[Moranis]

There are what 5 players in the league this pertains to.  You don't have a problem that needs fixing if it affects less than 1 percent of the players in the league.

[danglertx]

I think everyone goes about this the wrong way, wanting to punish the team who is fouling.  If you want to fix it, punish the team who can't hit free throws.

[Havlicek]

I don't want to fix it, I find it funny. If you can't at least hit 60% of your free throws you deserve it.

[MJohnnyboy]

Simple. Get guys to work on shooting their free throws. That's how you fix it.

[wdleehi]

Intentional fouls away from the ball is two foul shots that can be taken by any player on the court. 


I hate the non-basketball play.  Teams need to learn how to play defense. 



I am still fine with the original hack a Shaq.  Hard foul when he had the ball in a scoring position. 

[Ogaju]

nice thread.... on the technical note I think it is silly that what are obviously intentional fouls are not enforced as two shots and ball. They should be unless the league has actually carved an exception for hack a shaq fouls.

There are good points on both sides to this argument. If basketball is a non-contact sports where a foul is assessed  for non incidental contact with a player then the team that intentionally fouls to gain an advantage should be discouraged from doing so which means something deterrent i.e two shots and the ball back. Another thing is for the referees to be given the discretion to play the advantage rule, i.e ignore the foul if it is not really preventing the team in possession from advancing. If the fouling player then grabs on to a DeAndre preventing him from moving at all, that is an easy technical foul, delay of game and maybe ejection. This is all supportable if you agree that basketball is a non-contact sport where fouls are not encouraged as part of the game. NOW HERE COMES THE BUT.

But if basketball allows fouls as part of the overall strategy of the game... we have heard stuff like player Y or X brings 6 good hard fouls or you don't go in the paint unless you can take the contact. If fouls are an integral part of strategy, then the league should not be in the business of deciding which fouls are considered game delaying just because the foul is on a player than cannot shoot free throws.

My solution to the hack a shaq is to make sure every player than embarrasses himself on the foul line should have all his Clonks featured on SHAQTING THE FOOL.

[rondofan1255]

I personally love the strategy. Basketball, and sports in general, are about finding mismatches and weaknesses and exploiting them. If you take this away, you're rewarding guys like DeAndre Jordan and Drummond and providing huge advantages for their teams. Who cares if it's boring? It's part of the game. You're getting paid millions of dollars, make your free throws or sit on the bench.

I agree with this. DeAndre Jordan is shooting 39.0% this year and shot 39.7% last year too. That's zero improvement and horrendous!!!

He could probably go Rick Barry style and improve that percentage.

[wdleehi]

I personally love the strategy. Basketball, and sports in general, are about finding mismatches and weaknesses and exploiting them. If you take this away, you're rewarding guys like DeAndre Jordan and Drummond and providing huge advantages for their teams. Who cares if it's boring? It's part of the game. You're getting paid millions of dollars, make your free throws or sit on the bench.

I agree with this. DeAndre Jordan is shooting 39.0% this year and shot 39.7% last year too. That's zero improvement and horrendous!!!

He could probably go Rick Barry style and improve that percentage.

Then bring back hand checking and the hard fouls without the flagrant call. 


If you are not big enough or strong enough to handle it, go hit the weights. 


No giving out advantages.

[KGs Knee]

I hate the non-basketball play.  Teams need to learn how to play defense. 

I concur.

Intentionally fouling is basically the defenses admission they cannot stop you and have to resort to bush league tactics. Eliminating this pathetic strategy isn't about rewarding bad free throw shooters, it's about penalizing teams that are trying to win by flaunting the rules.

I personally love the strategy. Basketball, and sports in general, are about finding mismatches and weaknesses and exploiting them. If you take this away, you're rewarding guys like DeAndre Jordan and Drummond and providing huge advantages for their teams. Who cares if it's boring? It's part of the game. You're getting paid millions of dollars, make your free throws or sit on the bench.

I agree with this. DeAndre Jordan is shooting 39.0% this year and shot 39.7% last year too. That's zero improvement and horrendous!!!

He could probably go Rick Barry style and improve that percentage.

Then bring back hand checking and the hard fouls without the flagrant call. 


If you are not big enough or strong enough to handle it, go hit the weights. 


No giving out advantages.

I agree with this too.

Why is everybody so interested in giving advantages to poor defensive teams and pint size guards?

Bottom line is, intentional fouls have no place in the game and should not be a viable strategy. It's basically like trying to win with underhanded methods, since clearly you couldn't win playing straight up.

[notbillsimmons]

Let's be honest. The only fix is working on your freethrows.

[Redz]

I hate the non-basketball play.  Teams need to learn how to play defense. 

I feel the same way about fouling when up by 3 near the final buzzer, and when rushing up a crappy shot with 35 seconds left in a quarter just so you can get a 2-for-1.

[Birdman]

Let's be honest. The only fix is working on your freethrows.

agree!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LooseCannon]

Intentionally fouling is basically the defenses admission they cannot stop you and have to resort to bush league tactics. Eliminating this pathetic strategy isn't about rewarding bad free throw shooters, it's about penalizing teams that are trying to win by flaunting the rules.

In baseball, an intentional walk is basically an admission that they cannot get you out.  Maybe that should result in two bases and umpires should have the discretion to give the extra base if an unintentional intentional walk is blatantly obvious.

[Redz]

Intentionally fouling is basically the defenses admission they cannot stop you and have to resort to bush league tactics. Eliminating this pathetic strategy isn't about rewarding bad free throw shooters, it's about penalizing teams that are trying to win by flaunting the rules.

In baseball, an intentional walk is basically an admission that they cannot get you out.  Maybe that should result in two bases and umpires should have the discretion to give the extra base if an unintentional intentional walk is blatantly obvious.

Disagree with the intentional walk analogy.  It's often times used to set up a double play or show preference to a match up with the player on deck.

[Hemingway]

I don't think the Hack a Shaq is that big of a problem. Like "flopping" it is just part of the game. It is often a smart move even if the guy you are fouling is not a big time scorer. CBS does it from time to time. The only problem I see, much like the video replay, is that it slows the game down a lot. The only solution I would entertain is if the team that got fouled could opt to just take the ball out instead of shots. But even with a 50% shooter I think you'd be better off getting 1 out of 2 and a 50% chance the second one misses and maybe you can get a rebound then just getting the ball out.