Hoops

Zach Lowe on crunchtime, aka first to a target score

Hoopie

But if the “slim chance of winning” is removed by any means, what’s the point of playing out the game at all?

That “slim chance of winning” keeps people (players, coaches, spectators, tv audience) interested.

The sport needs interest maintained throughout the game and especially at the end. What it could do without is the constant breaks for foul shots in the end game. Advertisers and broadcasters love breaks at the end (hence a commercial interest to have some breaks) but too many make the end game disjointed and spoil the spectacle.

It’s always going to be an issue because basketball games are often close, with both teams being in with a chance until the final whistle.

As long as there’s that slim chance of getting the win by fouling in the last minutes, then it will continue. You either need to remove that slim chance completely, or penalise so hard that it’s not worth fouling, which will piss off the owners & coaches & players but improve the viewing.

While it’s great to examine different approaches, the only way I can see the current slug n zzz happening is to give an automatic basket PLUS the existing penalties, and enforce the rules accurately.

I think it’s first dead ball under 4 mins...

If it's the score after first dead ball that's different from the original proposal I read, I'll stand corrected, I think it should be first change of possession after the 4 min mark.

And to foul when your opponent needs 3 points to win rather than try and get a stop I guess thats a coaching decision, makes some sense if you only need 1 or 2 points to win yourself, but I'd accept the 1 or 2 potential fouls instead of fouling the entire last minute of a game when behind but in reach.

Personally I'd make all non shooting fouls in the last 4 mins 1 shot and possession like a tech, problem solved.

Your point 2, a foul doesn't trigger the 7 points to go rule, its whatever the score is with 4 min to go.

You point 3, if the trailing team fouls when their opponent needs 3 points to win, it makes no sense because on the next possession they'd potentially only need 1 or 2.

Anon above...

Your point 1, the intentional foul of a poor ft shooter can be anytime in bball, regardless of this proposal.

Your point 2, a foul doesn't trigger the 7 points to go rule, its whatever the score is with 4 min to go. Fouling stops the clock and gives a team more points, no value in fouling.

You point 3, if the trailing team fouls when their opponent needs 3 points to win, it makes no sense because on the next possession they'd potentially only need 1 or 2. Fts are the most efficient type of score so analytically fouling when down 3 gives you the lowest percentage chance to win.

Your point 4, I agree the replays and timeouts are annoying, but only in the NBA, and they cut back the timeouts this season which helped.

The time of the game is the same, even Cairns, basically take whatever the score is with 4 mins left, and its first to reach whatever the score of 7 points more than the team is in front, could be 55 or could be 105.

It probably finishes faster because there are no intentional foul situations, when you're behind you just play D to get stops.

Would be horrible for TV deals

3X3 has a target score...

He's talking about this with respect to the 2 million dollar league in USA. he's not suggesting it should be implemented in the NBA or FIBA

Well,i'm impressed....even i didnt predict that !!

Cairns just sealed out a gutsy 5 point win in Perth.

when cairns has the 1,2,3 punch going... look out...wilson to warren to loughton.