While watching the game last night, a friend and I got into a philosophical argument about the cheapness of a certain basketball play. You know the one: offensive player pump fakes, defender desperately jumps into him, and the offensive player draws the foul while heaving up a jumper resulting in two free throws or an and-one. It seems like Paul Pierce has done this at least once in every game this series, and JJ Redick also did it last night. Kobe is also a master at this (but he also adds in some yelling and flailing for what I can only imagine is comedic effect). Do you think this is "cheap" way do get a shooting foul?
How can it be cheap? And of course you're going to flail and yell when a 200+ basketball player hits you with all his weight. It's a form of contact, and it's a great way to get to the line.
Have you seen Kobe Bryant's theatrics when he does this? They are clearly disproportionate to any contact he is receiving.
I voted no, it's not cheap, but I also hate it as part of the game. Now, when the defender bites on the fake and runs into you, that should be a foul. However, as a defender, they have a right to their space as well. So if you pump, they go straight up, and you INITIATE THE CONTACT by jumping into them, I think that should be an offensive. Shouldn't a foul be based on who initiates the contact? I understand the NBA has been looking for ways to up sagging scores, but this is just something I can't stand...
This. I really do hate this part of the game, and even more when its obvious the offensive player jumps into the defender. Should be called an offensive foul.
No way, don't go for the pump fake. Steve Nash fell for it against Kobe the other night and gave him a 3-point play. Come on, Nash. When's the last time you blocked a shot? What the hell were you thinking? What's funny is when a player tries the pump fake and the defender stands there flat-footed.
You comparing pump fake to flop？wow, just wow. Flopper's intention is to cheat the ref, no matter what the opponent is doing, the flopper will fall down to try make it look like a foul. It is a one way game, that's why it is cheap. Pump fake is not a one way game, defender have a choice to jump into the air or not. And most time the defenders who gets the foul by jumping into the pump faker is because they spaced too far away from their guy already. It is a mind game and it is an honest game. If you want take the mind game out of sports, how about we just have NBA teams stand there and shoot free throws to determine the wins and loses？
It's only cheap if the offensive player leans forward and jumps into the defender if the defender jumps straight up and not invading the offensive player's space. And only to have the ref call it a foul on the defender.
It is part of a basketball move , i use it also . But of course we play "Pickup " games where we don't have free throws !!!
Tmacs on Tim Duncan during the 13 points in 30 seconds performance....my all time favorite pump fake foul.
I think the guy comparing this play to flopping is referring to the kind of play where the offensive player gets the defender into the air and then jumps into him. I don't understand how that is a defensive foul. The defender is supposed to be given his room to come down. I agree that plays like that are just as bad as flops.
