New ball is dead? Rim springs weaker? both?

[boutons_]

Like Simmons mentioned in a recent article, I've seen some weird bounces.

VC just shot a flat bullet of a 30-ft jumper vs Heat. The ball hit the front on the rim hard, bounced straight up, but only by about a way-too-short 2 ft, and fell in. Really weird that such hard, long shot hitting the rim so directly wouldn't produce a long rebound. Instead, it was a dead bounce and a 3G.

[Summers]

I heard some commentator say it bounces differently (softer); they said that would bode well for guys who like to shoot bank shots (ahem) because the ball will be coming off the glass more slowly and more likely go in.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i wonder with the new ball, are the jazz still fillin the ball heavier, that probaly explains why they are 5-1

[z0sa]

i was thinking along those same lines actually

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Interestingly the talk has been that the ball has four huge logos on it that affect the bounce (two from the NBA, two from Spalding).

[boutons_]

It just happened to Vince again. 30 ft shot from center of the court, it lands in the angle between the rim bracket and the backboard, dies, and plops in as the buzzer goes off, now OT. Wiz fold in OT, the dead ball wins.

[ALVAREZ6]

Why the fuck did they have to change the ball, no one likes it. Stupid fucking NBA...

[picnroll]

I saw that shot that led to overtime. Had the sound off, reading. I saw it hit the rim and then looked away figuring it was over. Looked up and saw the Nets celebrating and Vince doing his "man I'm the shits strut". Said wtf and then saw the replay. Couldn't believe the air just completely went out of the ball and it dropped in. That is one weird ball. Surprised Duncan can't get his off the backboard shot working again with it.

[veronicamae]

I just looked up the video on youtube, and you are right. It should have went flying off the rim/board and it just basically rolled in. Weak!

[Obstructed_View]

My guess is that they softened the rims at the same time in order to try to increase scoring, which can be used to defend criticism of the new ball. The ball does bounce differently, as I've seen Manu and Barbosa hit layups way up off the top of the glass, which I never would have thought had a chance.

Seriously, though: Everyone has to use the same ball, why is this still being whined about?

[boutons_]

if the new ball really has these effects, it somewhat messes up the year-to-year stats comparisons for PPG, RB, AST, both individual and team.

We'll see if teams and players have higher FG% at the end of the season.

[veronicamae]

My guess is that they softened the rims at the same time in order to try to increase scoring, which can be used to defend criticism of the new ball. The ball does bounce differently, as I've seen Manu and Barbosa hit layups way up off the top of the glass, which I never would have thought had a chance.

Seriously, though: Everyone has to use the same ball, why is this still being whined about?

I don't believe it's being whined about, per se. The new ball is potentially changing the game because it may be easier to score than with the old ball. It skews stats, etc.

[cheguevara]

It just happened to Vince again. 30 ft shot from center of the court, it lands in the angle between the rim bracket and the backboard, dies, and plops in as the buzzer goes off, now OT. Wiz fold in OT, the dead ball wins.

yes it happened again. the ball probably has a chip that remote controls it

[Obstructed_View]

I don't believe it's being whined about, per se. The new ball is potentially changing the game because it may be easier to score than with the old ball. It skews stats, etc.
That's true, but so does shortening the three point line, hand-check rules, illegal defense rules, changing the shoes, changing the backboards and rims, etc. The changes have gone on for years and years, otherwise the ball would still have laces, the shoes would be made of canvas and you could undercut a guy when he leaves his feet (actually legal at one time).

The new ball is a fact of life. Does anyone think the league would change it halfway through a regular season? Of course not, therefore continuing to focus on it is whining.

With all due respect, I can't believe the Spurs are 5-1 and this and Bruce Bowen's dirty tactics is what we are talking about.

Just my opinion. I'm supposed to be gone. I'll be at the Rockets game in Houston. Maybe I'll bring a sign. :)

[Dre_7]

Why the fuck did they have to change the ball, no one likes it. Stupid fucking NBA...

Tony Parker likes the ball. And he's hittin FTs and Jumpers. So I cant complain!

[ShoogarBear]

The Ball is Dead. Long Live The Ball!

[timvp]

People are just looking for weird bounces. If the new ball would have been in place last season, the Barry Bounce would have been blamed on the ball.

[ShoogarBear]

I can certainly believe people are just looking for them, but I also get the sense of some strangeness, too. I could just be that the rotations are different because of the unfamiliar grip.

The only way to know for sure would be for somebody to go through game tapes from the first two weeks of last year and count funny bounces, but nobody's going to have the patience to do that.

[boutons_]

"are just looking for them"

No, the weird bounces come looking for you.

The 2 long Vince shots I mentioned were blatantly dead bounces that I was not looking for.

[picnroll]

Like has been said, makes no difference since everyone plays with the same ball. But that was definitely one weird ass bounce.