My solution to Hack-A (JVG feel free to use it tonight on the broadcast)

I think if a team is in the penalty and is called for an off-the-ball foul, the other team should be able to choose the player to shoot the free-throw. That eliminates the off-the-ball version of hack strategy.

On-the-ball hacking is legit and don't really think it should be actively stopped. If a great finisher like Howard is going up, the defense is in their right to go hard at him and risk a foul knowing he could miss the FT.

I do think though there should be tighter rules for flagrants so that some very clear intentional on-the-ball fouls are called as flagrant.

 

By giving a free point to a player, that's encouraging players not to practice free throws.

 

Tonight's game is a perfect example of officiating inconsistency. You call the 2-hand touch intentional foul. But you let Bogut unload on Dwight with the push to the back and no call. Draymond doing the same thing, constntly 2-hands in the back for rebounding space. No call. Then you gonna call intentional touch fouls????

 

There's a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Harden rambles down the lane, gets bumped, obvious foul. No call. Then we inbound the ball and the officials call the touch foul on Smith's defender and send Smith to the FT line.

That's NBA officiating inconsistency.


Just as I believe players should hit their free throws....I do not believe that defenses should get to choose when a foul is called. There was so many obvious fouls that were not called tonight. But when the D wanted a foul called, all they had to do was tell the ref and gently place 2 hands on the player they wanted to go to the FT line.

If the defense wants 2-hand touch fouls called, then they should get all 2-hand touch fouls called. Harden should be shooting 40 free throws a night. That would be consistent officiating.

 

YES, or auto-3FTs.

We have to find a way to make fouling a penalty again, and not a strategic move that can be exploited for bad basketball.

 

This isn't about accommodating bad FT shooters, this is about making "fouling" a penalty. If you're using something that is a penalty towards your gain, then you're no longer being penalized for bad basketball plays. intentional fouling is one of the worst things to happen to the game, especially in the last few min of games.

Yes... 13 in 35 would've never happened if this were the case. I don't care. Make them play bball or penalize them. Thats it.

 

I don't care how they fix it but it needs to be fixed. It's not just Rockets games. It's unwatchabke as a fan.

My personal view is it doesn't help your team. Yes the Warriors got extra possessions... But guarded possessions. They are better off playing solid defense and scoring fast like they normally do.

This happened to the Rockets against the Clippers (killed rythm) and the Spirs against the Clippers, etc.

So I do t know why coaches do it. But it's boring as ****.

 

This...

 

I agree with whomever said they should enforce off the ball intentional foul or at least extend to 6 minute mark. If they did that and a team is getting blown out, it would end the hack a whomever. You would get to choose the guy who shoots the free throw. They could just go 2 shots plus the ball like they do on flagrant fouls.

 

Just make it where you can't intentionally foul away from the play in the first 8 seconds of the shot clock. This would incentivize making plays quickly if you believe you will be fouled this way. Also, could lead the offensive team to make silly mistakes if they fake like they will intentionally foul. That way, it is balanced for both the defense and offense.

 

I second one shot and the ball.

 

I agree with picking a player currently on court when a off ball intentional foul occurs while under the penalty rule.

I think this has been the best suggestion. However, I don't like the fact that this awards players who shoot fts very well to have a greater impact in the game. Someone like Harden and Curry become even more valuable and score even more points then before.

Also, I think there needs to be a way to limit flopping so that teams don't take advantage of the rule to get easy points.

 

Thanks, that was my suggestion.

Just to debate your point..
I don't think the issue would occur where it gives too much power to the best FT shooters. Reason being, there is clearly zero reason for a team to do an off-the-ball hack knowing that the likes of Harden/Curry/Durant/etc . This would completely stamp out this style of hacking. No team would EVER employ it if an 80+ FT shooter will take the shot. Even if they miss one shot, the likeliness that a team is giving away free points is so high. Heck, even 2 years ago when OKC did Hack-Asik in the playoffs, he kept making 1 out of 2. Only 50%, and that was very affective as an average of 1 point per possession is still acceptable to stay in front, statistically speaking.

 

3 free throws for someone shooting 50% is the same as 2 free throws for someone shooting 75%, do you hack a 75% free throw shooter?

 

There's a simple solution that would eliminate this, and get rid of the drawn out endings of games. Borrow a page from football. When a team is in the penalty situation, it should have the option of declining the penalty. Thus, if someone hacks Dwight, the Rockets simply decline the penalty and take the ball from out of bounds. If a team is up by eight and gets the ball, now the other team fouls in the hope of a miss while stopping the clock. Let the fouled team have the option of taking the free throws or taking the ball from out of bounds. It's simple, clean, and doesn't require any drastic changes. It also gives the advantage to the team who was fouled, which is what should happen.

 

This is by far the most elegant solution to the issue. And of course, teams would still be free to hack a bad free throw shooter once he has the ball.