Slam Dunk Central

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While employing certain tactical strategies during a basketball game can define the outcome more often than not, there are some that may be revisited during the NBA Competition Committee meeting in Orlando at the end of the month.? NBA commissioner David Stern, according to J.A. Adande of ESPN.com, said on Wednesday that the league will consider changing its rules on fouls away from the basket along with reviewing the use of instant replay for game clock malfunctions.

Specifically, Stern told reporters at Staple Center, “I think there are two subjects that are going to get some attention by the competition committee.? No. 1 is review on clock situations.? And No. 2 is the whole intentional fouls away from the play etc.? I don’t know what the results will be in each one, but I think those are worthy of some considered attention.”? Stern’s comments no doubt refer to the situation in Detroit where a 3-pointer by Chauncey Billups was allowed; the league later admitted the shot should not have counted.? Under current rules in the league, the play was not reviewable because officials (the referees)? are allowed to utilize replay only if a shot went in and the clock expired.

Stern stated that if replay was expanded, the technology would have be such as to where it would have to be done in “real time” in order for a fair ruling could take place on the floor after a play review.? I like the idea of expanded replay, although it would somewhat take away the human element of the game itself.? Secondly, the “Hack-A-Shaq” rule that Stern seems to be advocating is a bad idea as it takes away a strategy that has been around forever.? Most NBA fans remember that Wilt Chamberlain went through the same thing himself - and he was a notoriously bad free-throw shooter.? Granted, the replay rule may hold some merit, but the fouling rule isn’t a good idea, in my estimation.