[chemistrygirl]

I think that the repeated use of the intentional foul (a la hack-a-Shaq) is a really lame way to play the game and I have no respect for coaches who use that as a strategy. It seems to me that that violates what the game is supposed to be about. Basically, one is breaking the rules in order to try to win the game. :sour:

 

[John]

Well, there wouldnt be any complainings if guys like Shaq hitting their freethrows.

 

[Tooeasy]

altho is does slow the gameplay down horribly, doing this at the end of quarters if your opponent has a poor free throw shooting player isnt such a bad idea. it isn't breaking any rules, and as long as the person only makes 1 or even 0 out of two, then you can potentially come out on top. the main concern though is that your giving up personal fouls for almost no reason, and that can backfire late in the game.

 

[LionOfJudah]

Originally posted by <b>chemistrygirl</b>!
I think that the repeated use of the intentional foul (a la hack-a-Shaq) is a really lame way to play the game and I have no respect for coaches who use that as a strategy. It seems to me that that violates what the game is supposed to be about. Basically, one is breaking the rules in order to try to win the game. :sour:

My only question is:

Are you a Laker Fan?


This is as much a part of the game as intentionally fouling at the end of the game to stop the clock.

 

[BallBiologist]

Well, these guys are getting paid $, there is no excuse to be missing freethrows. I understand how a guy like shaq would miss ft's but im' sure he can practice and figure out which way works best to get the FT in..

 

[SilentOneX]

It's a basketball thingy. It's all about strategy, isn't it?

 

[LegoHat]

I don´t see it as a big problem, every team must do what they need to do in order to win. It´s part of the game like it or not.

 

[chemistrygirl]

I am a Laker fan (though not particularly a Shaq fan) though I don't think I'd care for the intentional foul regardless. I don't care to see any team use it against any other. It seems like almost an abuse of the pure game.

 

[BallBiologist]

You are entitled to your opinon but heres some other things to think about:

Teams use other strategies as well such as:

Doubleteaming a certain player who is dominating the game to force him to give up passes and putting extreme pressure on this player.. I.E. paul pierce etc.

And if you don't foul shaq, you just about lost the game because he'll backup and dunk it over you

 

[jdg]

Originally posted by <b>chemistrygirl</b>!
I am a Laker fan (though not particularly a Shaq fan) though I don't think I'd care for the intentional foul regardless. I don't care to see any team use it against any other. It seems like almost an abuse of the pure game.

Agreed, but coaches coach to win, not to please the fans. Sure it's not what Naismith wanted when he made the game, but it works, so they use it. Unfortunately, the rules would have to be changed before you saw a change in this strategy...

 

[rebelsun]

Well if you're playing against Shaq and don't have anyone big enough to defend him, then it may be your only way to defend him. Its your best chance of beating a team w/ Shaq.

 

[chemistrygirl]

I don't have a problem with doubleteaming, and the occasional intentional foul I can live with, but doing it over and over again in the last forty-five seconds of the game is just a last-gasp effort by a weak, desperate team who didn't have what it takes to win in the first 47 1/2 minutes, IMO. I guess what I'm saying is that good teams shouldn't have to do that.

Any idea what the players (other than Shaq and other usual victims) think of the strategy?

 

[Johnny Mac]

Originally posted by <b>chemistrygirl</b>!
I don't have a problem with doubleteaming, and the occasional intentional foul I can live with, but doing it over and over again in the last forty-five seconds of the game is just a last-gasp effort by a weak, desperate team who didn't have what it takes to win in the first 47 1/2 minutes, IMO. I guess what I'm saying is that good teams shouldn't have to do that.

Any idea what the players (other than Shaq and other usual victims) think of the strategy?

Its nothing but strategy. If a guy can go to his RIGHT so quick and nobody can EVER stay with him, but he cant go left, what should a defender do? Force him left. Its a game of exploiting weakness.

Shaq is unstoppable, but his weakness is free throw shooting. Teams exploit that, and if he could shoot free throws this wouldnt be a problem.

 

[LionOfJudah]

Originally posted by <b>chemistrygirl</b>!
I don't have a problem with doubleteaming, and the occasional intentional foul I can live with, but doing it over and over again in the last forty-five seconds of the game is just a last-gasp effort by a weak, desperate team who didn't have what it takes to win in the first 47 1/2 minutes, IMO. I guess what I'm saying is that good teams shouldn't have to do that.

Any idea what the players (other than Shaq and other usual victims) think of the strategy?

Its a strategy reguardless... If you don't have a player that can hold Shaq why not put him on the line where he has to throw up a 15 footer instead of bowling over your players to get a dunk.

What do players think of this? Probably something along the lines of: I wish I could make a shot from 15 feet

My high school coach called free throws free points because they should be money in the bank. Many a night we spent having to make 15 FT before we could leave practice (after running lines or laps).

 

[spongyfungy]

Isn't it ironic that the guy who used hack-a-shaq the most is now coaching the player that hates it so much.

 

[The MAgiC]

Oh boo-hoo. A poor Lakers fan who hates a strategy of the game. What ever shall they do? Get used to it or find a total non contact sport where everyone lives happily ever after, that's what.

 

[1 Penny]

NBA is all about stratedgy and tactics.

If intentionally fouling a player who is bad at the freethrow line will help your team, you do it. Its part of the game.

 

[therealdeal]

Shaq intentionally charges into defenders, dislodges them, hits them with his swinging elbows and never gets called for it.
That is his strategy because he has no talent to do anything else.

Should refs call all those fouls on Shaq, there would be no nedd for hack-a Shaq.

 

[chemistrygirl]

This is not a Shaq thing. Forget about the Lakers. I don't like to see it regardless of what teams are playing, it it's Dallas playing San Antonio or Detroit playing Cleveland, or whatever. If it's such a good strategy, why not play the whole game that way?

 

[el_Diablo]

hmm.

have the NBA done something to the original hack-a-shaq strategy, in which players start hugging o'neal when he doesn't even have the ball? or is this disallowed?