hack-a-shaq is a disgrace...

[Cman]

"Hack a Shaq" is NOT part of the game. In fact, it is completely analogous to AROD yelling "got it!" as he rounded the bases in Toronto last year. Sure, it helped the Yankees win the game, and was technically within the rules, but it was classless and really should be looked at with disdain.

Or like when Sean Avery stood in front of the NJ goalie and waved his arms to distract the goalie -- technically within the rules of the game, but just flat out lame.

Back to basketball, I think the term hack-a-shaq is also a misnomer.  there is no fouling as he is shooting, instead it is more like Hug-A-Shaq....

[fairweatherfan]

Then let's change more rules to protect the flaws of players. Let's bring in a rebounding rule for Eddy Curry. Let's outlaw all offensive rebounds when Curry is in the game because he's too bad at a skill on the basketball court.

Or how about we allow point guards to double dribble because they don't all keep their dribble alive like Nash and Paul do.

Shaq is making a disgrace out of this game because he can't shoot FTs. He cost his team all momentum and rhythm to their offensive game. He made the game look ugly.

No rule change

I understand this thinking but I don't buy it.  Look at, for example, the 3-second lane.  The lane was added in response to dominant big guys like Bob "Foothills" Kurland (not trying to namedrop, just love his name) standing under the basket and constantly taking passes for easy layups and dunks.  If the other players' games are so flawed that they can't stop a talented big guy from scoring at will 2 feet from the hoop, why "protect" them by creating a restricted offensive (and now defensive) area? 

How about the 24-second clock?  If your players are so flawed that they can't take the ball away from their opponents, why can't a team hold the ball for 2/3rds of a quarter straight with a 2 point lead?  It's the defender's fault that they can't steal the ball away, why protect weak defenses by forcing the offensive team to shoot within a time limit?

The game has always adjusted to teams taking advantage of the rules, particularly when taking advantage leads to an ugly and boring game.  The NHL had to do the same thing when the zone trap sucked the life out of their league a while back.  Sports should be basically fair, but beyond that they are entertainment - the Hack-A-Shaq sucks partly because teams are taking advantage of the rules, but mostly because repeatedly taking advantage of a rule is leading to a boring, ugly game.  The NBA needs to institute a 1-shot and the ball rule for intentional fouls away from the ball (with the current under-2 minute rule in place for the end of games).

[ederson]

Maybe i`m missing the point here but hack-a-shaq is a disgrace for shaq himself.
The guy has a 50% at free thows. It`s his flaw and i can`t understand why it`s disgrace to take advantage of it. You are paid 20m learn how to take free throws!

It`n not like he has a bad knee and everyone hits him there so he can`t play. Shaq`s size is a disadvantage for most centers. Lets players over 250p too

ok i`m overreacting here but i guess you see whe i mean 

[BuckeyeCelt]

The only change that needs made is the last 2 minutes of the game.

Players without fundamentals are a disgrace to basketball and they should be able to be embarrassed on the biggest stage. 

Why is it that all the players on the local high school team can shoot better than 75%, but some getting paid 20 mil can't shoot 50%...

This will hopefully encourage the youngsters coming into the league to respect the game and learn the fundamentals...MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS!!!!!

[Onslaught]

I see nothing wrong with it. It's his job to hit free throws. And the Suns should have known this would happen when they got him.
For those who don't know, Shaq is a rather large man. Even at his age now he's almost unstoppable near the basket. Their job is to
win and this is the best way to do it. It works!

[nickagneta]

First, let's put aside the term "Hack-a-Shaq" and call it what it really is, that being, fouling a player and making that player earn his points at the line rather than get a more makable shot.

This philosophy is the same philosophy that the Celtics and most teams employ. But when you're dealing with Shaq or Reggie Evans or Ben Wallace the tactic is considered to have less integrity because that player is such a terrible free throw shooter??? I'm sorry that one is a head scratcher.

My old coach from way back used to have us shoot free throws until our shoulders hurt. His stance was they call it free for a reason. During the game you have someone trying to stop you from scoring, usually within 2 feet of you with a hand in your face. When you're at the FT line no one is guarding you, no hands in your face, no one trying to block the shot. It should be an almost automatic 2. And the only way to get that is by practice, practice, practice.

These less than 60% free throw shooters are the real disgrace to the game. To think that because they were big and talented and almost guaranteed to get in the league by the time they hit high school and didn't practice to improve this part of their game because it wasn't easy or "sexy" in a basketball sense is the real disgrace. These kids see highlight reel dunks, facials, unearthly blocks, and three pointers as part of the game they love and practice these until they can't move. But a free throw, never.

Well free throw shooting is also a part of the game. Always will be. And if players like Shaq can't hit over 70% they deserve to be fouled every time down floor. They think their size and dunking ability is a great asset to their team and should be used by their team. And they are right. But their free throw shooting is a huge hole in their team's armor and it is up to the other coach and team to not only see it, but exploit it.

"Hack-a-Shaq" is dull, boring, hard to watch, aggravating and effective. Instead of complaining about it perhaps people should be lamenting the fact that their heroes suck at a very, very important part of the game.

Every sport has an ugly part to it. Football holding penalties, backfield contact, and offsides. Baseball intentional walks, constant OB philosophy of taking pitches, and constant situational relief pitching. Soccer the whole [dang] sport. And basketball "Hack-a-Shaq". Al things that are done with the idea of trying to increase your chance of winning(in football 's case if you don't get caught).

They are part of the toatl game. Get used to it.

Oh, and if the Celtics play the Suns in the Finals, here's a guess, there won't be anyone complaining about the technique anymore.

[yall hate]

First, let's put aside the term "Hack-a-Shaq" and call it what it really is, that being, fouling a player and making that player earn his points at the line rather than get a more makable shot.

This philosophy is the same philosophy that the Celtics and most teams employ. But when you're dealing with Shaq or Reggie Evans or Ben Wallace the tactic is considered to have less integrity because that player is such a terrible free throw shooter??? I'm sorry that one is a head scratcher.

My old coach from way back used to have us shoot free throws until our shoulders hurt. His stance was they call it free for a reason. During the game you have someone trying to stop you from scoring, usually within 2 feet of you with a hand in your face. When you're at the FT line no one is guarding you, no hands in your face, no one trying to block the shot. It should be an almost automatic 2. And the only way to get that is by practice, practice, practice.

These less than 60% free throw shooters are the real disgrace to the game. To think that because they were big and talented and almost guaranteed to get in the league by the time they hit high school and didn't practice to improve this part of their game because it wasn't easy or "sexy" in a basketball sense is the real disgrace. These kids see highlight reel dunks, facials, unearthly blocks, and three pointers as part of the game they love and practice these until they can't move. But a free throw, never.

Well free throw shooting is also a part of the game. Always will be. And if players like Shaq can't hit over 70% they deserve to be fouled every time down floor. They think their size and dunking ability is a great asset to their team and should be used by their team. And they are right. But their free throw shooting is a huge hole in their team's armor and it is up to the other coach and team to not only see it, but exploit it.

"Hack-a-Shaq" is dull, boring, hard to watch, aggravating and effective. Instead of complaining about it perhaps people should be lamenting the fact that their heroes suck at a very, very important part of the game.

Every sport has an ugly part to it. Football holding penalties, backfield contact, and offsides. Baseball intentional walks, constant OB philosophy of taking pitches, and constant situational relief pitching. Soccer the whole [dang] sport. And basketball "Hack-a-Shaq". Al things that are done with the idea of trying to increase your chance of winning(in football 's case if you don't get caught).

They are part of the toatl game. Get used to it.

Oh, and if the Celtics play the Suns in the Finals, here's a guess, there won't be anyone complaining about the technique anymore.

not just singling your post out, but people who talk about it as a strategy everyone used either didnt watch or the game, or at a minimum didnt read the earlier posts.

the original spirit of the post was not intended to deal with the technique on the basic level.  In this game and series, the foul was occuring the second they inbounded the ball.  there was no attempt to even allow an offensive set to be instituted as no matter who had the ball on the inbound shaq was hugged.  that is a problem.  that is not the normal 'hack a shaq'. 

[coco]

It's a disgrace that Shaq can't hit his free throws

Ditto.

I mean, these are profesional basketball players we are talking about.  They have nothing else to do but get paid -and very well - for playing a game...what a dream job!  I also hate the hack-a-shaq tactic, but man, if my boss tells me I have to improve a skill in order to keep my job...

[crownsy]

They need to change the rules, or dig up old rules or the refs should just take the law into their own hands. This shouldn't be happening.

As for Shaq making his free throws, absolutely he should be. Having been in the league for so long and having the whole hack-a-shaq thing come up so often, you'd think he'd work to improve.

why shouldn't it be happening? if shaq would learn to shoot free throws, it wouldn't be a viable strategy.

I'm all set with changing the rules because one guy can't hit his shot.

there's a reason teams don't do it to other players, they hit more than 50% of there free throws.

[StartOrien]

I don't know how many times this is going to have to be said for people to understand it. The argument isn't that it's not fair to Shaq,
The argument isn't if it's a viable tactic,
The argument isn't that he's a disgrace because he doesn't know how to shoot them,

The argument is that from a fan's perspective it ruins the game.

And it's ABSOLUTELY true. It sucks the life and energy out of the game, and from a fan's perspective it sucks. And not to reiterate something that Bill Simmons said, but it's beyond obvious, what happens if they just fouled Duncan? Would the people running to the defense say the same thing, that it was just a good strategy? No, you'd complain that you took time out of your day to watch a game in hopes that it would be even half as good as their game one, and you'd get a free throw shooting contest. And I can guarantee that if this is something the Spurs employ in the Game 4 the Suns will come back with the hack a duncan.

[Frontierboy]

If the Suns were smart, then they would have done a Hack-a-bowen in return as Bowen is a career 57% from the line......

it would have been crazy if the game turned into a free-throw shooting contest between the two.  This way, the Spurs would have stopped the Hack a shaq or had to take Bowen out of the game ( as he was covering nash)

[crownsy]

I don't know how many times this is going to have to be said for people to understand it. The argument isn't that it's not fair to Shaq,
The argument isn't if it's a viable tactic,
The argument isn't that he's a disgrace because he doesn't know how to shoot them,

The argument is that from a fan's perspective it ruins the game.

And it's ABSOLUTELY true. It sucks the life and energy out of the game, and from a fan's perspective it sucks. And not to reiterate something that Bill Simmons said, but it's beyond obvious, what happens if they just fouled Duncan? Would the people running to the defense say the same thing, that it was just a good strategy? No, you'd complain that you took time out of your day to watch a game in hopes that it would be even half as good as their game one, and you'd get a free throw shooting contest. And I can guarantee that if this is something the Spurs employ in the Game 4 the Suns will come back with the hack a duncan.

the counter point would be it IS about shaq, teams only do it to shaq.

Therefore, you are advocating changing the rule for one player, shaq.

[winsomme]

i think we need to look at this from a fan perspective, and from a fan perspective this makes the game  unwatchable.

i don't have a problem fouling Shaq the second he touches the ball, but fouling him off the ball when he is not involved in the play action simply to put him in the line ruins the game.

there are judgement calls all over  the game, so there is a very simple solution to this.

in the last two minutes, i think the rule is two shots and the ball. keep that, and for the rest of the time, they should do one shot and the ball.

this doesn't include ALL off the ball fouls. it is simply for fouls on players that are not involved in the play. so say if a guy beats you on a back door cut and you grab him. that doesn't qualify. or if a guy fouls you as you are trying to post him up, that doesn't qualify. if you foul a guy setting a screen in an  attempt to defend the pick and roll, that doesn't qualify. those and others would still be regular fouls.

all these are examples of off the ball fouls that are part of the game action.

the rule would be for fouling a guy off the ball who is not involved in the action. it would be very simple to implement and it does not reward bad FT shooting because you can foul the guy any time he gets involved in the offense. ie when he tries to post up or sets a screen or goes for a rebound.....at least those are fouls in the action of the game.

this just grabbing the guy and showing it to the officials is so bogus and it is different the intentional fouls late in games because those are at least on the guy who has the ball.

[Onslaught]

The argument is that from a fan's perspective it ruins the game.

A

Unless you're a Spurs Fan.

[winsomme]

I don't know how many times this is going to have to be said for people to understand it. The argument isn't that it's not fair to Shaq,
The argument isn't if it's a viable tactic,
The argument isn't that he's a disgrace because he doesn't know how to shoot them,

The argument is that from a fan's perspective it ruins the game.

And it's ABSOLUTELY true. It sucks the life and energy out of the game, and from a fan's perspective it sucks. And not to reiterate something that Bill Simmons said, but it's beyond obvious, what happens if they just fouled Duncan? Would the people running to the defense say the same thing, that it was just a good strategy? No, you'd complain that you took time out of your day to watch a game in hopes that it would be even half as good as their game one, and you'd get a free throw shooting contest. And I can guarantee that if this is something the Spurs employ in the Game 4 the Suns will come back with the hack a duncan.

the counter point would be it IS about shaq, teams only do it to shaq.

Therefore, you are advocating changing the rule for one player, shaq.

well i saw Nellie do it to Josh Boone during the season and after he did it, he was interviewed by one of the side line reporters and said he regretted doing it.

i think it is irrelevant how often it happens.

it simply ruins the game, and basketball is trying to build itself up.

the Spurs are already difficult to watch with all their flopping tactics. and this tactic is just not basketball IMO.

like i said, it does not reward bad FT shooting because you can foul Shaq anytime he gets involved in the action of the game and i think it would totally eliminate this game ruining strategy.