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Only thing I don't like about Hack-a-Shaq is that it kills the Spurs' offensive momentum. It chops up the game and there's no flow for either team.
I expect a rule change in the summer. No way Stern is gonna let this continue.
Shaq's carrer freethrow average is about 51% during regular season and 50% during playoffs. If you apply this "law" in this particular application, it would basically mean that if Shaq makes all of his free
throws during this fouling spree, then there is a chance - A CHANCE - that he will miss his freethrows during crunch time. Since he's shooting about 50% at playoffs' he's bound to miss the next few.
This would also work the other way around: if he doesn't make his freethrows then there's the chance that he indeed will make them during crunch time. Everything will even out. At least that's what this law proposes. I guess its in the timing of the strategy that's really critical.
I don't know which is worse: a team that employs this strategy to expose another player's weakness or a player, who's one of the leagues best center, an MVP, an icon to some - but who can't hit his freethrows.
As someone already posted - make your freethrows .
Only thing I don't like about Hack-a-Shaq is that it kills the Spurs' offensive momentum. It chops up the game and there's no flow for either team.
I expect a rule change in the summer. No way Stern is gonna let this continue.
I doubt there's a rule change. Especially for a player that's about to retire in a year or 2. Already have a rule change for FTs within 6 minutes of a game - that's enough.
If there was going to be a rule change it would of came when he was on the Lakers.
I was laughing when POP went to hack-a shaq in the 3rd quarter.......
Pop's hack-a-shaq didn't help or hurt
Shaq hit 5 of 6, instead of his avg of 3 of 6, in those 3 possessions.
Say no hack, in 3 possesions, Suns score 2 or 4 pts.
At most, the 3-possession hacking had max a one-possesion influence on the score.
Biggest effect was slowing the game, and the "drama".
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Biggest effect was slowing the game, and the "drama", neither of which helped the Spurs.
I think it's working pretty well. I would a LOT rather take Phx out of their regular offense and make everyone stand around praying Shaq won't brick his throws as usual. It throws THEM off balance, keeps them out of rhythm, and makes everyone quit thinking about how strong Shaq is and instead reminds everyone, including him, that he sucks at something pretty important. Much better to make Phx settle for one awkward point than give up a demoralizing Shaq or Stoudemire dunk.
And he definitely won't make 5 of 6 every time.
In fact, I think a good use of Horry's and Red Rocket's time would be to go in just to foul the big fella.
The Suns scored half of their points that quarter thanks to that tactic.I was laughing when POP went to hack-a shaq in the 3rd quarter.......
Seemed like Pop was overcoaching at that point.
The Suns couldn't buy a bucket.
This isn't how the law of averages works. If you flip a coin 10 times and it comes up heads 10 times in a row, what are the odds it will come up tails on the 11th flip? Answer: 50-50. Most people would answer that the odds are much better than 50-50, but they would be wrong. These are also people who believe that a slot machine is "due for a jackpot" because it hasn't had one in a long time.
Of course we are dealing with human beings, not coins, so it is possible that Shaq's 5-of-6 run will influence his next free throw, because Shaq (unlike a coin) does have memory. But how? Will he be more likely to make it because he is confident he's shooting well? Or will he be less likely because he'll think "I'm due to miss one now" ??
even though Snaq made most of the free throws, it completely messed up the flow of the Suns offense and it got into their heads. i thought it was a wild-ass strategy by Pop, a sign of how irreverent he is. he does what he wants cause he knows he's the .
The problem with Hack-a-Shaq is that as a 51% FT shooter, the expected value of the move is 1.02 points per possession. Yet the Spurs have a history of holding their teams to below 51% shooting, or an expected value of less than 1.02 points per possession, therefore it is a bad move to pull it out in crunch time when every possession counts and that there will be no lasting consequences AFTER the hacks.
However, when done in the middle of the game, there are side benefits of stopping the offensive flow of the opposition, undermine the trust between Shaq and D'antoni (especially when Shaq is pulled), give players more time to rest during FT shooting, and perhaps make the Suns loose their composure.
I am not a fan of it, but if it works, then go for it.
If he bricks the 1st two or goes 1-2, keep it up.
If he goes 2-2 to start, I like the thought of fouling Shaq every other time.
Otherwise he does seem to get into a bit of a groove if he hits the first two.
Wonder if teams tracking this have posted the stats anywheres?
good analysis.
And during a free throw, there are a lot more forces at work than in the flip of a coin. You have a human, a basket, a ball that has to get into that basket, and people behind that basket trying the best to get part of your attention. Any one of these things can cause that ball to sail long, short, left or right of the intended target.
I don't mind doing it when we are down and need any help we can get... but when we are up and hot and the other team is playing like crap... it's stupid.
The NBA should and I suspect will change the rule.
Yeah, it is kind of like picking on the re ed kid. It's not very nice.
Superman got his kryptonite!
If they didn't change it when he was on the Lakers, it ain't going to happen now when Shaq's fixing to hang them up.
The other thing people are overlooking about last night is that we had Tim and Tony on the bench at that point. When you factor all the stoppage in with the end of the quarter time, they probably got a good 10-15 minutes of rest.
I don't think we're employing it at near the level it has been employed in the past against Shaq. We intentionally fouled him once in the first game and three (?) times last night. Id' be surprised if the NBA felt the need to address it, but I'd also be okay with it if they did... particularly when the fouls are off the ball.
I think it'd be awful for the league to change the rule. Why reward a player who's been in the league for 15 years but is too lazy to practice free throws?
I honestly think the tactic worked great last night as it kept the Suns role players from getting in any kind of rhythm while Amare and Nash were on the bench.
I LOVE hack a shaq. Take a run and gun team and make them stand around between possesions. Suns are a team of runs to say the least. Sure we had alot of transition pts but we can score in the half court just as easy. Even if Shaq makes everyone the main guys aren't getting into a groove. Anyone else see how Stoudemire went cold in the 3rd? Could this be the reason why? Hack a shack all you want. PS how are they gotta make off the ball fouls illegal? That is dumb, any other mooch who got as many free throws as Shaq does would eventually get better. But oh well.
They should just sit Shaq down and play Stoudamire at Center and Play Grant Hill more minutes. Then they can run again.
Pop did it more to rest his players. It was not like they needed to stop
Phoenix from scoring at that time. They had scored 2 pts in a little more than 7 1/2 mins at that time.
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