NBA "delay-of-game" calls explosion

[superunknown23]

The league has put new emphasis on a longstanding rule that prohibits players from holding the ball or redirecting it after a successful field goal. It is known as the delay-of-game penalty, and players had gone years — decades, really — doing as they pleased without fear of officials actually enforcing it.

Teams commonly exploited the loophole as a stall tactic, as a way to buy themselves precious extra seconds to set up on defense after scoring. Many perfected the craft. Players nonchalantly tapped the ball to the side of the court, or even to one of the referees (under the guise of being helpful). Charles Barkley was known, at least on occasion, to retrieve the ball after his dunks so he could peg it at his defenders.

The league, though, has sought to eliminate many of the game’s dark arts in recent seasons — all the little fouls and violations that went uncalled or unnoticed — and players now run the risk of being penalized. The first offense is a warning. Each subsequent call results in a technical foul and a free throw for the other team.

Officials have not been shy about blowing their whistles, either. Through Sunday, they had called 83 delay-of-game violations, according to the league. At this time last season? Two.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/13/s...ace-a-technical-foul.html?_r=0&pagewanted=all

I guess that should speed the games up a bit

 

[Jplaya2023]

decide close game by stupid delay of game penalties in the first quarters breh

:smugstern:

 

[beenz]

I hate this dumb ass rule. why not actually enforce the rampant flopping going on instead of pretending to address it every season.

 

[Buckeye Fever]

I like the new rule.

Stop tryna get over on ppl like u tryna receive government assistance

 

[Primetime21]

I tried to tell people this was gonna be a problem in the random observation thread, bu but no the players will adjust. Was watching heat/bucks yesterday henson got the delay of game for not dodging the ball like the matrix after he dunked it

 

[who_better_than_me]

Dwight Howard got like 4 in one game and he still gets them.

 

[Higher Tech]

It's a dumb rule. The ball comes down on people and the natural reaction is to grab it. It's stupid to be a penalty.

 

[Regular_P]

They're going overboard with it. Even when guys tap the ball towards the inbounder or ref, they're getting delay of game penalties. It's slowing the game down more than speeding it up.