Does anyone remember when ...

[TheMDKid]

... teams used to actually play DEFENSE in the final minute when attempting to come back?? I mean, they used to apply full court pressure and actually attempt to steal the ball or force a turnover. And it seems like it used to work quite often if my memory serves me right. So when and why did it all change? Nowadays all you see is time out, quick shot, and quick foul - and it RARELY ever works. It's a shame, really. What should be a game's most exciting moments, are turned into aggravating play stoppages, whistles and commercials. Am I alone in this thinking?

 

[TheMDKid]

Note, this diatribe has nothing at all to do with losing a perfectly good under on the Seat/Cleve game. Sheesh - 14 points in the last 30 sec's.

 

[t3a]

it really made no sense in this game, Clev wasn't even jacking up 3's so how would they make up a 6 point deficit hoping Settle is going to go 0 for from the foul line? Plus they are fouling a 90% shooter (Ridenour)

 

[TheMDKid]

Sometimes I wonder if it isn't done just to pad their personal stats, being that they think the game is out of reach anyway.

 

[t3a]

I especially like when a team is losing by say 5-10 points so they need a few possessions to win but they keep fouling and fouling and then suddenly reach some magic point and stop even though the margin hasn't changed. It does make you wonder if they are working on stats, overs , spreads whatever

 

[TheMDKid]

I've always thought that a great rule change by the NBA would be to change the 10 sec clock to a 6 sec clock inside of the final 2:00 minutes. This would entice teams to attempt to force turnovers and/or backcourt violations rather than the automatic (and boring) foul.

 

[dmmd98]

I believe it's 8 seconds now, i'm not 100% on it however.

Mark

 

[picasso]

Yes, it's 8 seconds now.

I've followed the NBA for 30 years, and to be honest, I don't see any difference in late-game behavior. Teams have always had to go the foul route late in games. We don't like it when we have unders; we love it when we have overs. It's just part of the game...

 

[Meanstreak]

just 'cuz it's on my mind ... the NBA should adopt an 'advantage' policy (similar to Euro soccer) whereby if the defending team has control of the ball upon a shot clock violation they should allow the play to continue ... i find it annoying when a team makes a steal/block at the buzzer and has a clear path to the basket and play is stopped.... dumb dumb dumb.

peace.

 

[TheMDKid]

Yes, it's 8 seconds now.

I've followed the NBA for 30 years, and to be honest, I don't see any difference in late-game behavior. Teams have always had to go the foul route late in games. We don't like it when we have unders; we love it when we have overs. It's just part of the game...

You're right, my bad, I forgot that it was 8 sec's now. However, I disagree that there is no difference in late game strategy nowadays as opposed to yesteryear. Teams would foul back then, but only as a LAST RESORT. Serious attempts would be made to steal the ball, force a turnover, or force a backcourt violation. Failing this, teams would then foul. You rarely ever see this strategy attempted anymore.

My purpose here was to propose a simple rule change (5 or 6 sec backcourt clock for the last 2 minutes), that would not change the game drastically, but it would entice teams to bring this far more exciting strategy back into the game. Meanstreak, I think your "play on" proposal has merit, but it is probably too drastic - it would make it nearly impossible for teams to comeback, and that would be no more exciting than what we have now.

Anyway, despite mentioning my loss on the under, my purpose was NOT to complain about losing the under - I've benefitted many times while playing the over in this same situation. I'd just like to see the game improved so that the end of the game can be exciting, instead of watching the endless procession of whistles, free throws, fouls, time outs, and commercials that we got now.