Drummond 13-36 from line last night.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

This strategy needs to be encouraged because I am highly entertained by crybaby fans throwing online hissy fits because of it.

I'm so with you.

The solution here is simple, make your free throws, or get out of the floor for not making it. Players need to be accountable, not the league. Especially when one of them is making $17 million per year.

[GC003332]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25456966/stan-van-gundy-on-hack-a-drummond-thats-the-game-the-league-wantsd

http://eonsports.com.au/svg-sounds-off-on-hack-a-drummond-blames-adam-silver/


I am from the school of thought that players just have to knock them down, but the stats show that the rate of intentionally fouling is on the rise.
As Van Gundy says if the fans start to tune off and stop watching, that is when the league may decide on changing the rule.
The NBA is just another form of entertainment competing for viewers and the almighty dollar in the grand scheme of things.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25456966/stan-van-gundy-on-hack-a-drummond-thats-the-game-the-league-wantsd

http://eonsports.com.au/svg-sounds-off-on-hack-a-drummond-blames-adam-silver/


I am from the school of thought that players just have to knock them down, but the stats show that the rate of intentionally fouling is on the rise.
As Van Gundy says if the fans start to tune off and stop watching, that is when the league may decide on changing the rule.
The NBA is just another form of entertainment competing for viewers and the almighty dollar in the grand scheme of things.

This is a big headache for the NBA.

On one hand, it's true that it diminishes the entertainment value of the game. On the other, it makes a specialized rule for pretty much a select few players, ruining the integrity of the game.

Oh what to do, what to do...

[GC003332]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25456966/stan-van-gundy-on-hack-a-drummond-thats-the-game-the-league-wantsd

http://eonsports.com.au/svg-sounds-off-on-hack-a-drummond-blames-adam-silver/


I am from the school of thought that players just have to knock them down, but the stats show that the rate of intentionally fouling is on the rise.
As Van Gundy says if the fans start to tune off and stop watching, that is when the league may decide on changing the rule.
The NBA is just another form of entertainment competing for viewers and the almighty dollar in the grand scheme of things.

This is a big headache for the NBA.

On one hand, it's true that it diminishes the entertainment value of the game. On the other, it makes a specialized rule for pretty much a select few players, ruining the integrity of the game.

Oh what to do, what to do...

Time is money as they say, maybe the league should look to reimburse the fans who sit through the extra 30-40 minutes , sometimes longer it takes for the games to be played, not good for parents who take their kids to midweek games and have school the next day to be sitting through those , Cliipers,Rockets and Pistons games.
The League makes many changes to their rules based on pure entertainment value, the removal of hand checking certainly had a great affect on teams being able to put points back on the board after the Mid nineties early 2000's defensive slugfests.
Try and have as few Clippers, Rockets, Pistons games on National TV as possible ha ha.

[jpotter33]

I'm all for the strategy, but in a limited sense. I think Stevens has used it masterfully at times to throw off the opponent's rhythm. However, to intentionally foul five times in a row to reach the penalty is stretching it for me, though there's no real way to stop that tactic if you're willing to go that far into the strategy.

What about putting a limit on it? Perhaps something like limiting it to three to four times a quarter could at least make it bearable, or maybe restricting its use in consecutive possessions. I can't imagine how ticked off I would be if I paid tickets for that game to watch that. And what's funny is that some of the teams that it happens to the most, i.e. Houston and LAC, are also probably some of the biggest offenders of using that strategy.

I do think the jumping on the back during the free throw in the last two minutes of the game is a ploy that needs to be stopped. The "Hack-a" strategy is a legitimate strategy according to rules; however, the free throw rebounding fouling in the last two minutes of the game is purely a way to beat the system and circumvent the rules.

[Csfan1984]

Wasn't he 13 of the last 16 though? Talk about hot and cold ft shooter

he definitely wasnt.  I couldnt tell if you were trying to funny.  the previous game he was 3-10 from the line

It wasn't a good one sorry

[Snakehead]

I do think the jumping on the back during the free throw in the last two minutes of the game is a ploy that needs to be stopped. The "Hack-a" strategy is a legitimate strategy according to rules; however, the free throw rebounding fouling in the last two minutes of the game is purely a way to beat the system and circumvent the rules.

To me this was just the ultimate form of this gross thing that was being done to the game.

Basketball is supposed to be an up and down game.  The pace used to be really fast when I think most people would consider basketball at its best.  I just think this ruins the game.  The penalty if you can't shoot free throws should be limited, at the least, to something like you suggest or otherwise, hey, when you get the ball you can be put on the line.  That limits what you do.  In college Shaq would basically get hit by two guys if he got the ball by some teams and that was his consequence.

Some of the best rebounders in the league don't shoot free throws well.  As I've said before, do people think these guys don't try or work on it at all, really?  The coaches can't figure out they should either?  I want Shaq, Wilt, Howard (even as a hater), Ben Wallace, DeAndre Jordan, Drummond type players in the league.  It was reasonable before with those type of players without being like this.  Shaq's FT shooting certainly cost him especially in Playoff games

This strategy being used this way was only something that came about since the late 90's. I do not think it adds anything to the game.  People act as if there are no consequences to being a bad free throw shooter if this rule was changed but that just isn't the case.  You are limited on offense when the game is on the line and throughout.

I would like this player to be able to play well and have a tough time getting the ball in crunch time.  But it's okay because he can do this.  This guy should be playing basketball:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77RAoRLYa-k

[LooseCannon]

Are there any hypocrites who are mad about fouling strategies making games unwatchable, but support tanking and Hinkie style roster moves that made 76er games unwatchable?

[KGs Knee]

I have to say, all of these comments about "make your free throws or get off the floor" are absolutely ridiculous. It is not an acceptable practice to intentionally foul a player not in possession of the basketball, it's actually already against the rules, it's just not currently enforced properly.

Besides that though, it's like some sort of childish mentality. Shows a lack of character or common sense. I'd love nothing more if two NBA coaches actually did this for an entire game, or at least until very player on both teams fouled out, maybe then some of you would realize your smug attitude towards this is obnoxious.

This is not how you play basketball, and I would put someone in jail if they actually tried to teach children learning to play the game this is acceptable, it's not.

[PhoSita]

If you're not going to allow a strategy that marginalizes players who are bad at shooting free throws, why have free throws at all?  I mean, why not simply award a team points automatically when there are fouls?  A guy gets fouled in the act of shooting, just give him the points.

If we're going to have the skill of free throw shooting be a facet of winning games, then you have to allow, on some level, for teams to take advantage of a player's weakness in that area.

Yes, it's tough to watch when Drummond or Howard takes 40 free throws in a game.  OK, but nobody likes watching free throws ever.  Should we change the rules so James Harden can't get to the line so often?

Either free throws are part of the game or they aren't.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

This strategy needs to be encouraged because I am highly entertained by crybaby fans throwing online hissy fits because of it.

I'm so with you.

The solution here is simple, make your free throws, or get out of the floor for not making it. Players need to be accountable, not the league. Especially when one of them is making $17 million per year.

Except when some idiot is soliciting piggy back rides in the name of 'hack-a-Howard-Drummond-etc' as the rest of the team plays defense on the on ball handler way other side of the court. That's just a flagrant foul that should get an ejection

[KGs Knee]

If you're not going to allow a strategy that marginalizes players who are bad at shooting free throws, why have free throws at all?  I mean, why not simply award a team points automatically when there are fouls?  A guy gets fouled in the act of shooting, just give him the points.

If we're going to have the skill of free throw shooting be a facet of winning games, then you have to allow, on some level, for teams to take advantage of a player's weakness in that area.

Yes, it's tough to watch when Drummond or Howard takes 40 free throws in a game.  OK, but nobody likes watching free throws ever.  Should we change the rules so James Harden can't get to the line so often?

Either free throws are part of the game or they aren't.

I'd argue that being such a horrible free throw shooter that it makes it difficult to give the ball to such a player is penalty enough for said player's poor free throw shooting. I have no issue with fouling players in possession of the basketball. Fouling a guy actively trying to score, whether intentionally or unintentionally is a normal part of the game.  Intentionally fouling a player not in possession of the basketball, and away from the play is ludicrous.

I have never once advocated for "protecting" poor free throw shooters, I simply believe what is happening is unethical and bush league. Let the player who was fouled shoot the free throw, and then give the team who was fouled the ball, side out of bounds. It such a simple fix.

But putting the philosophical debate aside for a second, because clearly this is a such a decisive issue that there stands very little chance of one side convincing the other, let's look at this from a pragmatic standpoint.

Pretty much everyone can agree it's painful to watch this stuff. I have a hard time believing anyone is actually okay with a continuation of the status quo. But let's think about it, do anyone actually believe players like Howard, Drummond, DeAndre, Capella, Josh Smith, Rondo, etc, etc, ect...are going to no longer have a job in the NBA? That's not going to happen, accept it.

So, if you are not going to enforce the rules and prevent teams from intentionally fouling a player not in possession of the basketball, I guess you just better get used to seeing this 'strategy' become more and more prevalent. Lets see how far teams can take this before even the most resolute of you admit it needs to stop.

[Hemingway]

Coudn't they just tell the refs to speed up the amount of dead time there is if it looks like there is going to be a lot of FT shooting? The ref replays taje forever.

This could end up being good for us. The league might tell the refs to call less fouls next year which is good for us when we get in the penalty in a few minutes in some quarters.

[slamtheking]

If you're not going to allow a strategy that marginalizes players who are bad at shooting free throws, why have free throws at all?  I mean, why not simply award a team points automatically when there are fouls?  A guy gets fouled in the act of shooting, just give him the points.

If we're going to have the skill of free throw shooting be a facet of winning games, then you have to allow, on some level, for teams to take advantage of a player's weakness in that area.

Yes, it's tough to watch when Drummond or Howard takes 40 free throws in a game.  OK, but nobody likes watching free throws ever.  Should we change the rules so James Harden can't get to the line so often?

Either free throws are part of the game or they aren't.

I'd argue that being such a horrible free throw shooter that it makes it difficult to give the ball to such a player is penalty enough for said player's poor free throw shooting. I have no issue with fouling players in possession of the basketball. Fouling a guy actively trying to score, whether intentionally or unintentionally is a normal part of the game.  Intentionally fouling a player not in possession of the basketball, and away from the play is ludicrous.

I have never once advocated for "protecting" poor free throw shooters, I simply believe what is happening is unethical and bush league. Let the player who was fouled shoot the free throw, and then give the team who was fouled the ball, side out of bounds. It such a simple fix.

But putting the philosophical debate aside for a second, because clearly this is a such a decisive issue that there stands very little chance of one side convincing the other, let's look at this from a pragmatic standpoint.

Pretty much everyone can agree it's painful to watch this stuff. I have a hard time believing anyone is actually okay with a continuation of the status quo. But let's think about it, do anyone actually believe players like Howard, Drummond, DeAndre, Capella, Josh Smith, Rondo, etc, etc, ect...are going to no longer have a job in the NBA? That's not going to happen, accept it.

So, if you are not going to enforce the rules and prevent teams from intentionally fouling a player not in possession of the basketball, I guess you just better get used to seeing this 'strategy' become more and more prevalent. Lets see how far teams can take this before even the most resolute of you admit it needs to stop.

ok, thanks for the clarification.  I was getting the impression you didn't care when these guys were fouled and wanted to protect them in all aspects of the game.

My personal take is that players getting millions of dollars a year to play a child's game should at least be good in most aspects of it -- including FTs.  This is regardless of the situation of the foul.  As for intentionally fouling a player that doesn't have the ball, I wouldn't be opposed to a rule change.  Some options:
- go back to the old 3-to-make-2 rule.
- give the fouled team the option of taking out the ball from the sideline instead
- issue a tech foul on the fouling team/player, give the fouled player 2 shots and then the ball back to the fouled team.
-->only for intentionally fouling a player without the ball (and I might consider limiting to the backcourt)

[mgent]

Things won't change over night.

You might not ever be able to force Drummond into becoming a respectable FT shooter, but maybe future NBA players who are ~10 years old right now and nearly 6 feet tall are watching Drummond and practicing their FTs because they don't want to look foolish like that when they grow up.