Poll: Hack-a-Shaq fine or needs to go?

[bobbyc]

Would like to see what the posters on here think of the rule. Let your voice be HEARD!

[G[o][o]se]

Hack-A-Shaq is a tactical move. I think it should stay.

[leolozon]

Hack-a-whatever goes against any notion of entertainment. It kills the flow and makes every game more boring. I'm not sure why anyone would want that.

Is it tactical? Yes. So? Any loophole is tactical, it doesn't mean you don't have to close them for the benefit of the game. Who really likes seeing it happen? It doesn't have to be that way.

[pp34thetruth_]

i honestly think that the hack a shaq rule can be used only with 4 minutes remaining in the 4 th
otherwise a tech should be called and the ref should should whoop the tar out of popovich

[Cheetah]

It's a strategy. Everyone should practice to make their free throws.
If you want to remove hack-a-shaq, you might as well remove all strategies such as zone defense because everyone should d up their opponents by themselves..

[WVSArtist]

Entertaining the crowd is nice and all, but the coaches and players jobs is to do whatever it takes to win the game.

[leolozon]

Entertaining the crowd is nice and all, but the coaches and players jobs is to do whatever it takes to win the game.

The question is not whether it should be used right now, the question is : should it be amended? Your answer doesn't have anything to do with that. Yes, the coaches and players job is to do whatever to do to win, but sport's basis is still entertainment. If you amend the rule, they will still do whatever it takes to win... One doesn't go against the other. You can think about entertainment and still have coach and players do everything to win within the rules.

[yaaar]

Entertaining the crowd is nice and all, but the coaches and players jobs is to do whatever it takes to win the game.

We're not discussing whether or not teams should do whatever it takes to win. we're discussing whether or not it should be allowed. Before the shot clock teams used to just dribbled endlessly with the lead trying to "do whatever it takes to win the game." I'm sure you'd be fine with that, but most people find it incredibly boring and sport killing. Yeah teams should be able to force the other team to give up the ball or shoot right? It's fundamental basketball! But alas they made the shot clock to appease those that like entertainment.

[leolozon]

Entertaining the crowd is nice and all, but the coaches and players jobs is to do whatever it takes to win the game.

We're not discussing whether or not teams should do whatever it takes to win. we're discussing whether or not it should be allowed. Before the shot clock teams used to just dribbled endlessly with the lead trying to "do whatever it takes to win the game." I'm sure you'd be fine with that, but most people find it incredibly boring and sport killing. Yeah teams should be able to force the other team to give up the ball or shoot right? It's fundamental basketball! But alas they made the shot clock to appease those that like entertainment.

Exactly. I don't know any people who would want the shot clock to disappear. Why? Because it makes the game more entertaining and players still give everything they have during those 24 seconds. Nothing was lost.

Same with Hack-a-Shaq. If they stop it, what are we losing? Less bad free-throw shooters shooting free-throws? And more teams trying to score and teams trying to defend... Oh no I so much like seeing Dwight Howard going to the free-throw line, it's far better than seeing Kobe trying to outplay the defense.

The best teams will still find a way to win without that tactic and they will do it in a more exciting manner. Nothing to lose and yet some people don't want it to change? I don't get it.

[TanKmOdE]

I'd prefer that the low pct. FT shooting centers learned how to shoot free throws instead. The shot clock violation situation wasn't a matter of players not knowing basketball fundamentals. Hack-a-popito is about players not knowing one of the most important things in basketball, in my opinion a fundamental, shooting free throws.
In my humble opinion we're talking about two different things here

[leolozon]

I'd prefer that the low pct. FT shooting centers learned how to shoot free throws instead. The shot clock violation situation wasn't a matter of players not knowing basketball fundamentals. Hack-a-popito is about players not knowing one of the most important things in basketball, in my opinion a fundamental, shooting free throws.
In my humble opinion we're talking about two different things here

Learn? Those guys shoot FTs in practice, some are just bad at it and it makes the game worst to watch. Once again, no one prefers seeing a big man shoot FTs, instead of seeing 5 on 5 basketball of high quality.

[DoubleLintendre]

Hack a Shaq is completely fair, and is a pretty smart tactic to punish a team/player for not practicing their free throws. Sure, it isn't pretty to look at. But it's not a "loophole" without consequences. The team committing fouls gets into their team into the penalty quickly, and it puts extra fouls on the player who fouls. And even worse, the "poor free throw player" might not even miss at all.

Even if they miss a few.. After about 2-3 trips to the line, even if that player was shooting bad at the line, that player picks up a free throw rhythm-- thereby lowering the effectiveness of the tactic when repeated.

Also, players have got to practice their free throws. They are called free throws for a reason.

[yaaar]

I'd prefer that the low pct. FT shooting centers learned how to shoot free throws instead. The shot clock violation situation wasn't a matter of players not knowing basketball fundamentals. Hack-a-popito is about players not knowing one of the most important things in basketball, in my opinion a fundamental, shooting free throws.
In my humble opinion we're talking about two different things here

What's more fundamental than playing basketball? That's all they're doing, only they're not forced by a clock to try for a shot. Dribbling, passing, setting picks. The defense needs to patrol passing lanes, set traps, go for steals. Those are all the amazing fundamental things that happen without a shot clock. So I think the comparison is definitely applicable.

[He Filled it Up]

Basketball isn't a free throw competition. It kills that flow and is bad for the product, which is why they got rid of it in the last two minutes. Just be done with it.

[leolozon]

Basketball isn't a free throw competition. It kills that flow and is bad for the product, which is why they got rid of it in the last two minutes. Just be done with it.

Can someone explain to me why it's bad in the last two minutes, but not in the minutes before that? If it's bad, it's bad and if it's good it's good. What's the point of not allowing it in the last 2 minutes?

[azuresou1]

I for one enjoy seeing the antics teams pull to avoid having their big man's FT incompetence exposed.

Also enjoyable watching bad FT shooters somehow build rhythm and then shoot 85% from the line, making the strategy backfire.

[Champ1on]

So being able to shoot free throws shouldnt matter? It's part of the game. I don't see anyway to get rid of it unless you throw shooting FT for fouls out of the game.

[inquisitive]

gotta keep this rule...gotta make those FTs.

[Honey Bear]

Keep it. Make poor FT shooters pay or being poor FT shooters. It either forces the FT shooter to make his FTs or the opposing coach to remove that player and replace him with an adequate FT shooter. It's strategic and there's no reason to take strategy out of the game even it means that it kills momentum or excitement. The main purpose is to win the game, not to entertain people.

[lakerhater]

I'm torn on this one. Part of me says just practice and improve your FT shooting and the other part of me sees most of the hack a whoever fouls as intentional fouls which should be penalized by giving the fouled team the ball back.