Hack a Shaq and the Law Of Averages

[bdictjames]

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.

We have two of the best players in the NBA who can get into the paint in Manu and Tony.

Duncan gets passes from Manu/Tony and converts it to easy layups.

IMO Spurs won from hack-a-Shaq. We even extended our lead IMO, its better than giving the Suns a field goal in which they would make 50% of the time.

[JamStone]

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.

It's not just about Shaq. It's about disrupting the flow of the game. It's about actually beating the other team based on skill and effort rather than missed free throws. Shaq isn't the only star who is a poor free throw shooter. Teams will do it to Dwight Howard in the future. And there will be other players as well. It's not just about Shaq. It just takes away from the game, in my opinion.

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?

It would be similar to making a rule that says when players are in the paint area, they can only score if they dunk the ball. If it's a lay-up or floater or hook shot, the basket doesn't count. Why reward players who can't dunk?

Being able to intentionally foul a player that isn't even touching the ball to force him to shoot free throws is not in the spirit of compe ion.

Let's make another rule that players can't dribble with their shooting hand. Why reward players who can't dribble with their off hand?


I understand why Pop is doing it. It's well within the rules and it's giving the Spurs a better chance to win. I still don't like the rule. And, I'm willing to bet if Spurs fans rooted for a team that it was being done to as opposed to the team using it to their team's benefit, most of them wouldn't like the rule either.

[dbreiden83080]

Shaq made what 5 out of 6 in that 3rd qtr, i was yelling in the game thread about that, i did not agree with it. Spurs had played incredible defense that Qtr, Shaq gets fired up when you do that.

[Pero]

It would be similar to making a rule that says when players are in the paint area, they can only score if they dunk the ball. If it's a lay-up or floater or hook shot, the basket doesn't count. Why reward players who can't dunk?

Hmm, because dunking depends on size/athleticism and it's still 2 points whether you dunk or lay the ball in, while free throw shooting can be learnt and you can miss or hit?

Being able to intentionally foul a player that isn't even touching the ball to force him to shoot free throws is not in the spirit of compe ion.

Yes that's true.

Let's make another rule that players can't dribble with their shooting hand. Why reward players who can't dribble with their off hand?

This comparison is just weird.

[Pero]

If Shaq is able to shot free throws 5/6 sometimes, he should also be able to do it at other times. And that doesn't mean twice per season or something.

[timvp]

I don't get why all of a sudden people want a rule change against Hack-a-Shaq. Hack-a-Shaq has been around for a decade. Why all of a sudden put a stop to it now?

I don't like it but it'd be lame to outlaw it just because Hack-a-Shaq actually kinda worked for once. No team has beaten a Shaq led team by employing Hack-a-Shaq. Luckily, D'Antoni seems willing to pull Shaq instead of letting him get on a roll from the line.

[RussN]

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.

I agree with you about how it throws the Suns off. The Spurs did fine when they were fouling Shaq, it was PHX that couldn't do anything but let Shaq hit those 5 free throws and it totally messed with their offense. Some people have said that the Suns would score 3 or 4 points in 3 possessions, I would say 6 or 7 during a normal Suns hot streak.

[m33p0]

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 .

you forget to add a person's fighting spirit which can't be quantified by any form of statistical analysis. isn't that why people are so critical of Hollinger and his beloved PER? besides, its not how many you make, its when you make them.

[JamStone]

I don't get why all of a sudden people want a rule change against Hack-a-Shaq. Hack-a-Shaq has been around for a decade. Why all of a sudden put a stop to it now?

I don't like it but it'd be lame to outlaw it just because Hack-a-Shaq actually kinda worked for once. No team has beaten a Shaq led team by employing Hack-a-Shaq. Luckily, D'Antoni seems willing to pull Shaq instead of letting him get on a roll from the line.

I don't think a rule change would necessarily be for Shaq. It would be for any team that tries to employ it other than late in the fourth quarter. Pop used it in the first half against Brian Skinner. And, then against Shaq in the third quarter while his team was up. It totally disrupts the spirit of compe ion.

I have no problem with Pop using it since it's within the rules as it is now. I do have a problem with rules that allow it.

[J.T.]

The NBA should and I suspect will change the rule.

The NBA won't change the rule. Using Hack a Shaq puts your team in the penalty faster and opens up the chance for Shaq's team to be extra aggressive and get better shooters to the foul line. There are certain situations when it just makes sense to foul. Shaq has shot FTs poorly his entire career, and if he doesn't want to be on that foul line so much then he should have worked with a shooting coach to shoot foul shots better. There's not much a coach can do other than hope Shaq makes his foul shots or put Shaq on the bench. But like Pop said, Hack a Shaq is a double edged sword because sometimes he'll make 5 in a row. Free throws are a phase of the game and if you look at any box score, the losing team would have won 9 out of 10 close games if they hit more free throws than they did.

This is not some ambiguous rule like the "altercation" rule. It won't get changed, and Suns fans should have seen this coming a mile away when they signed Shaq. Maybe they didn't see the Spurs doing it, since Pop rarely if ever employs Hack a Shaq strategies, but there's no NBA fan that doesn't know Shaq is a poor FT shooter.

[Elraptor]

It's been around for along time, it wouldn't be right to all the sudden just change the rule for it.

[cash459]

...

Biggest effect was slowing the game, and the "drama", neither of which helped the Spurs.

the spurs won...........

[ajh18]

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.

As far as I can tell, ESPN has Spurs opponents averaging 1.15 points per shot this year. Now, that doesn't necessarily take a lot of factors into account, most noticably how frequently the other team actually gets a shot out of a possession. But if this is true, and the expected value of hacka-Shaq is 1.02 points, AND if POP thought the Suns were definately going to get a shot up every one of those possessions, you can at least make a statistical case for the strategy.

[Amare_32]

Personally I think the league should make this the rule any team that fouls off the ball should be penalize by allowing the opposing team to chose thier free throw shooter and get the ball back on possesion. That will eliminate this Hack a Shaq,Hack a Ben or Hack a Bowen nonsense.

[Amare_32]

I find it ironic that Spurs fans are defending the use of this tactic but they most likely were screaming bloody murder when Phil Jackson went to Hack A Bowen.

[easjer]

I find it ironic that Spurs fans are defending the use of this tactic but they most likely were screaming bloody murder when Phil Jackson went to Hack A Bowen.

My argument wasn't with Phil for using the technique, it was with Bowen for his ft %.

He worked on it and brought it up to a more respectable level after that post-season.

Bruce Bowen gets it.

[statman32]

They should just sit Shaq down and play Stoudamire at Center and Play Grant Hill more minutes. Then they can run again.

Umm Grant Hill has been injured hes pretty much useless out there.

I'm all for Hack a Bowen. this whole game up. MAKE the league change the rule unless they wont 4 hour games.

[statman32]

The NBA won't change the rule. Using Hack a Shaq puts your team in the penalty faster and opens up the chance for Shaq's team to be extra aggressive and get better shooters to the foul line. T

Not really considering teams only do it late in the quarter and fouls reset every quarter.