Gregg Popovich is the coach of the highly successful San Antonio Spurs. His team has eliminated the Phoenix Suns to advance into the next round of post season play. During the series with Phoenix, Coach Popovich used a strategy that was used initially by Don Nelson. This involved intentionally fouling Shaquille O’Neal and sending him to shoot foul shots. Shaquille O’Neal is notoriously poor at scoring with foul shots.

Essentially, the strategy was to take a calculated gamble that the foul shots would be missed and the ball would be rebounded for a Spurs possession. Coach Popovich even used this ploy when his team was ahead in the score. It disrupted the flow of Phoenix’s offense.

Under the present rules, this “hack-a-shaq” ploy is entirely a legitimate strategy. Taken to the next step, two coaches could have their players intentionally foul the poor free throw shooters on the other team and reduce a portion of the game to a foul shooting contest. It would be extremely boring. Many basketball commentators have suggested that this intentional fouling necessitates a rule change.

The intentional fouling would stop if the NBA instituted a rule that such fouls would mean two foul shots plus retaining possession. Therefore, even if the foul shots are made (or missed), the team at the foul line retains possession of the ball. This would negate the value of forcing a poor shooter to go to make foul shots. It would not disrupt the offense because the team retains possession of the ball. Essentially, it would remove the value of intentional fouls away from the ball. It would allow teams to continue to gain an advantage by fouling as the game draws to a close. It would, however, stop the fouls away from a play on the ball.

Coach Popovich would need to find for another ploy to gain an advantage. - Of course, all this would be unnecessary if these professional basketball players could make their foul shots consistently. No, on second thought, it would be easier to institute a rule change…

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster: http://flyinghamster.com/

Tags: nba, gregg popovich, shaquille o’neal, interntional fouls, free throws, rules, playoffs