Round 2, Game 2 - Bucks vs. Heat - 9/2- 5:30 CDT, 1:30 AM Athens, 8:30 AM Sydney - ESPN

[StickeeFingaz]

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Great article. What most people here have suspected is true, the NBA essentially doesn't fine for flops anymore. All opposing teams know this and they're number one strategy for slowing down Giannis is to flop and get the charge call. This results in Giannis settling for more jumpers or fouling him out of the game.

And non-Bucks fans think Giannis gets a good whistle...

[machu46]

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Great article. What most people here have suspected is true, the NBA essentially doesn't fine for flops anymore. All opposing teams know this and they're number one strategy for slowing down Giannis is to flop and get the charge call. This results in Giannis settling for more jumpers or fouling him out of the game.

And non-Bucks fans think Giannis gets a good whistle...

Even if they were still fining players, I don't think there's any evidence that it deterred people from flopping at all. I don't really have any hope that things will ever change; this will likely be an issue for Giannis his entire career until he isn't athletic enough to play the way he currently does anymore/isn't as reliant on getting to the rim.

The only way I can really see this strategy going away is if the league starts suspending players for flopping. Even technical fouls won't do unless they make potential flops reviewable without a coach's challenge.

[skones]

Bucks by 12, the fourth quarter is mostly inconsequential, Giannis with 35, Midds with an efficient 22, Toronto fans still remind us we're in "major trouble" despite their being down 0-2.

[StickeeFingaz]

Read on Twitter

Great article. What most people here have suspected is true, the NBA essentially doesn't fine for flops anymore. All opposing teams know this and they're number one strategy for slowing down Giannis is to flop and get the charge call. This results in Giannis settling for more jumpers or fouling him out of the game.

And non-Bucks fans think Giannis gets a good whistle...

Even if they were still fining players, I don't think there's any evidence that it deterred people from flopping at all. I don't really have any hope that things will ever change; this will likely be an issue for Giannis his entire career until he isn't athletic enough to play the way he currently does anymore/isn't as reliant on getting to the rim.

The only way I can really see this strategy going away is if the league starts suspending players for flopping. Even technical fouls won't do unless they make potential flops reviewable without a coach's challenge.

Very true. To be honest, the flopping going on in the bubble, including three point shooters constantly falling down/kicking their legs out, has kinda turned me off and killed some of my enjoyment. It's half basketball half WWE.

[sidney lanier]

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Excellent article. As I posted earlier, the disinclination to call a flop, either in real time or postgame, makes the anti-flop rule completely toothless and ironically encourages more flopping. It was interesting to learn in the article that only one penalty has been assessed in the last three years (Patrick Beverly).

I wish I could find the video of two players, Lakers I think, flopping simultaneously and going down like bowling pins. This is what the league is becoming, and they let it happen. For Giannis, it essentially takes away the most dynamic part of his game.

[jschligs]

Watching Marcus Smart literally run into Siakam when VanVleet was going up for a fast break layup and getting the call is what pisses me off the most.

Yea, Toronto challenged and it was reversed, but that was the most blatant flop I've ever seen. He also takes a three and jumps so far forward, then falls way backward which is dangerous as hell.

If the NBA doesn't figure out a correction to flopping you will soon see worse than what we see in soccer. I'd actually argue we already do see it worse.

[StickeeFingaz]

It's frustrating because the NBA's reluctance to enforce anti-flopping rules can result in affecting a game and a series, such a shame.

[ReasonablySober]

Watching Marcus Smart literally run into Siakam when VanVleet was going up for a fast break layup and getting the call is what pisses me off the most.

Yea, Toronto challenged and it was reversed, but that was the most blatant flop I've ever seen. He also takes a three and jumps so far forward, then falls way backward which is dangerous as hell.

If the NBA doesn't figure out a correction to flopping you will soon see worse than what we see in soccer. I'd actually argue we already do see it worse.

I was pretty furious watching that game in the 4th. Smart's dangerous as hell and should be suspended.

[CharityStripe34]

Watching Marcus Smart literally run into Siakam when VanVleet was going up for a fast break layup and getting the call is what pisses me off the most.

Yea, Toronto challenged and it was reversed, but that was the most blatant flop I've ever seen. He also takes a three and jumps so far forward, then falls way backward which is dangerous as hell.

If the NBA doesn't figure out a correction to flopping you will soon see worse than what we see in soccer. I'd actually argue we already do see it worse.

To me that would be automatic ejection, $5,000 fine and a one-game suspension. Let these flop artists suck a fat one and be parked on the bench for an important playoff game for that garbage.

[jschligs]

Watching Marcus Smart literally run into Siakam when VanVleet was going up for a fast break layup and getting the call is what pisses me off the most.

Yea, Toronto challenged and it was reversed, but that was the most blatant flop I've ever seen. He also takes a three and jumps so far forward, then falls way backward which is dangerous as hell.

If the NBA doesn't figure out a correction to flopping you will soon see worse than what we see in soccer. I'd actually argue we already do see it worse.

To me that would be automatic ejection, $5,000 fine and a one-game suspension. Let these flop artists suck a fat one and be parked on the bench for an important playoff game for that garbage.

$5,000 is too generous in my mind. That's blatantly trying to skirt the rules in your favor. Give them $25,000 for first offensive that scales quickly.

[CharityStripe34]

It's why I included a one-game suspension. Maybe $10,000 then. These flopping chumps would then think twice, especially in a playoff series.

[Ron Swanson]

Start accurately calling flopping and illegal screens and you instantly fix 99% of what's wrong with the current NBA. But that's way too easy and sensible of a solution so we know it'll never happen.

[Serge28]

So, being a Bucks virtual fan was pretty **** to be honest.

The good/interesting - we had a cheerleader, a Seniorgy member, and the Claw (Dr.) in our section. At some point somebody wearing a horse-head joined as well.

The really bad - they only showed half of the screen of the game. So, you couldn't know the full score or see anything that's going on at the top of the key. I feel like I missed out on a lot of the game. Really awful game watching experience. Also, for some reason, all the commercials were pro-Heat, as if I was watching a pirated broadcast of a Heat home game.

Won't do it again. No way.

[j_hilge444]

So, being a Bucks virtual fan was pretty **** to be honest.

The good/interesting - we had a cheerleader, a Seniorgy member, and the Claw (Dr.) in our section. At some point somebody wearing a horse-head joined as well.

The really bad - they only showed half of the screen of the game. So, you couldn't know the full score or see anything that's going on at the top of the key. I feel like I missed out on a lot of the game. Really awful game watching experience. Also, for some reason, all the commercials were pro-Heat, as if I was watching a pirated broadcast of a Heat home game.

Won't do it again. No way.

Can't you just watch it on TV as well?

[mtron32]

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Great article. What most people here have suspected is true, the NBA essentially doesn't fine for flops anymore. All opposing teams know this and they're number one strategy for slowing down Giannis is to flop and get the charge call. This results in Giannis settling for more jumpers or fouling him out of the game.

And non-Bucks fans think Giannis gets a good whistle...

Part of me wants Giannis to just go HARD at a little guy with this intention of causing pain one good time to set the tone.

[MickeyDavis]

Bledsoe still questionable om the 10:00 am injury report.

[PintSizedBox10]

Well ****

Sent from my SM-G981U using RealGM mobile app

[DingleJerry]

For the flops step one could be being way more aggressive on the fines than the initial plan years ago. Have it be 10-20K, but give it out for tons of stuff. Maybe have a major and minor as well. Small exaggeration type be 5-10K and a major 25K. A guy like smart, kawhi, lowry could rack up 50-100k in a game. Then have some kind of system that leads to suspensions after X amount. Maybe a major violation only requires 2-3 for a suspension, some kind of formula mixing them too. Be super aggressive with this to start next season to break bad habits.

Also have to factor something into this to address offensive players playing just to get fouled instead of playing the game properly trying to score. Things like running around a screen and abruptly stopping so the guy runs into you to draw a foul. The embiid/AD swing your arms into the other guys on purpose then flail the ball away.

[Wooderson]

The NBA and Silver don't care about flopping or foul baiting.

Silver was on the Bucks broadcast when they opened Fiserv last year and made this clear. He was talking about the new freedom of movement rules and said fans don't want to see big guys who rely on strength and that the NBA wants to encourage skill based players, and refs will call the game accordingly.

It sucks, but playing the ref game is a big part of the league now. Been saying for awhile that getting a foul baiting guard or two is a big advantage.

[MickeyDavis]

We have Marc Davis tonight.