David Stern Wants to End Hack-a-Shaq (Tiago, D12, etc)

[Chronz]

I just flipped over to look at the all time best seasons for centers, FT shooting. You will never guess what the pattern is...

The primary function of their talent as ball players comes by way of outside shooting?

[scaramantula]

2 shots and the ball? seems a little much, maybe one shot and the ball?

[Hawkeye15]

The primary function of their talent as ball players comes by way of outside shooting?

warmer...

Lets just say there weren't a lot of high flyers. I truly believe we don't develop our youth players the way we need to. Much more of the unathletic kids figure out they better start becoming skilled, since they can't dunk on people.

[Chronz]

i guess being able to block out all things mentally and practicing on ur fts go hand in hand. not sure what other variables fall into play..

Yea but its pretty hard for players to improve this late in the game. Not impossible but my theory is that, since hand eye coordination is honed during ones youth, what they focused on developing during their young stages becomes the staple of their game and unless they were out there working on their jumper or other guard oriented skills, its pretty hard to improve your ability to shoot.

Thats why David Thorpe has a hard on for bigs that used to be small, because they grew up thinking they were guards only to end up versatile bigs.

[Chronz]

warmer...

Lets just say there weren't a lot of high flyers. I truly believe we don't develop our youth players the way we need to. Much more of the unathletic kids figure out they better start becoming skilled, since they can't dunk on people.

Interesting, just as I expected, they were primarily shooters right. Do you know how many of them made leaps in FT efficiency as they aged?

Any true interior players on there?

[Chronz]

Oh and for the record, lets not compare mere mortals to the great Sabonis. He was more alien than one of us.

[maddBat]

would b frustrating it it were 1 of those touch fouls by accident being called.... imagine the other team getting 2 fts and the ball b/c of a touch foul when the refs call it tight. smh

[Rhino]

There are many reasons why I can't stomache to watch the NBA in this day and age, but the main reason is David (dumb ****) Stern.

[Hawkeye15]

Interesting, just as I expected, they were primarily shooters right. Do you know how many of them made leaps in FT efficiency as they aged?

Any true interior players on there?

Sikma ruled the roast. Most were bigs who could get outside and shoot as well. Moses had a season around 82.5%, and was a steady improver throughout his career. Yao was up there a number of times, but yes, the main leaders were guys like Sikma, Shayes, Laimbeer, Brad Miller, Sabonis, and guys of that nature.

Mike Gminski and Moses were the only true interior guys that show up on the list. I think Gminski was a post player, if its the guy I am thinking of.

Hakeem went from the low 60's when he first came in, and 5 seasons later, started hovering in the mid 70's.

[Hawkeye15]

Oh and for the record, lets not compare mere mortals to the great Sabonis. He was more alien than one of us.

touche

[jer3miah]

As a Magic fan, I was upset about them being able to do that. But as I watched and learned from Greg Popovich's strategy. Their teams only does it when they over the penalty. And seeing the Magic go from having it happening to them to doing it to an opponent. I think its a legit play. Dwight is good some days at FT and then bad others, you don't know what your gonna get. Aren't you suppost to exploit your opponents weakness??

[topdog]

Y'all are missing the point, a point others haven't missed in the past. To quote them, "it shames the sport."

Superstar calls and players *****ing to refs on every possession "shame the sport." Intentional fouling is a strategy.

The same should be said for intentionally missing free throws, whether you have the lead and are trying to keep the other team from getting a good shot off before time expires, or you need 2/3 points instead of 1 more with barely any time left on the clock.

If there's 10 seconds left in the game and you're behind, shoot the ball like a respectable team and run the full court press to see what happens on defense. But don't resort to cowardly fouls because you can't accept defeat.

So, basically you're saying that if your team has the lead you want to make sure they can keep it. Intentional fouling and missing free throws is a risk teams take just like a press - which gives up easy shots when broken. I could demean the press just as easily "Oh so now that there's only 30 seconds left you decide you can't play 1-on-1? You need a gimmick defense?"

Here's what we're dealing with at the end of the day: free throws can be learned, size can't. Maybe the dunk should be outlawed? Grabbing the rim is goal tending. It's not fair that unskilled big players can dunk and skilled 6'0" guys can't.

Make free throws and play defense. That's the other thing here. If a player can't make his free throws (though 50% is still 1 point), he should at least be able to stop the other team from making their shots.

[likemystylez]

I'm a Lakers fan, but it really does kill any flow of the games.

I understand that it's purely a strategy (a good one at that), but it really ruins any flow.

if you are a depleted orlando magic team who just lost dwight howard for garbage... and you find a way to hang in the game until the last few minutes with a laker team with 5 former all stars, career all nba performers, multiple defensive players of the year and the refs giving every possible bennefit to the lakers..... You should be able to do what it takes to secure a win regardless of what a few casual fans think of the flow.

The lakers have things they can do to counter this problem. Take dwight out of the game, crash the boards on those missed free throws, dwight make the free throws (or atleast dont sit there with a smile on your face when you are missing the free throws and losing the game for your team). Even with dwight out of the game- the lakers could field a line up that should be able to compete with the magic.

[KB-Pau-DH2012]

I think this is a bad change of rule. Can't reward players for their horrible free throw shooting.

[Im_in_Mia_bish]

Yea but its pretty hard for players to improve this late in the game. Not impossible but my theory is that, since hand eye coordination is honed during ones youth, what they focused on developing during their young stages becomes the staple of their game and unless they were out there working on their jumper or other guard oriented skills, its pretty hard to improve your ability to shoot.

Thats why David Thorpe has a hard on for bigs that used to be small, because they grew up thinking they were guards only to end up versatile bigs.

very very very good point.

Yao Ming, European players are all not put on a tight leash like how some of these young kids are in highschool/middle school here in the states.

coaches train them from such an early age to focus on playing in the post/ rim rather than focus on the overall game.

very interesting.