Changes you don't want to see in the NBA

[Andrew]

Basically, the opposite to this thread. What are some of the things you don't want to see changed in the NBA?

• The jump ball rule. I'm not a big fan of the alternating possessions rule, I much prefer letting the players jump it up.
  
  
• Fan voting for the All-Star starters. As much as people wring their hands over it, I can take a couple of odd selections here and there. As benji has pointed out on more than one occasion, it's not like the coaches do a spotless job picking the reserves, either. If 18-20 of the players selected to play in the All-Star game are worthy of being there - ie they're having standout seasons which you could rank amongst the best in the league or at least top 12 in their conference - that's not doing too badly and should have the potential to be a good game. A couple of fading stars getting the starting nod here and there hardly ruins the game in my opinion. It's not as though complete scrubs are being voted in.
  
  
• The length of the regular season and Playoffs. Some people might favour making it shorter, I like it the way it is. Plenty of opportunities to get my basketball fix and a sprained ankle in the opening weeks needn't throw the whole season into jeopardy. I get the argument in favour of a shorter season but personally, I wouldn't make the change.
  
  
• The draft lottery; at least, not drastically. I'd still limit it to the teams that missed the Playoffs and give the team with the worst record the best odds of winning. I still don't think tanking is a significant enough problem and the Draft carries so much uncertainty anyway, I feel bad teams are given a decent enough chance to improve their roster through the Draft if they make good decisions...and are lucky enough for players to pan out.
  
  
• The timing of the MVP award. I read that the league was considering handing out the MVP award after the NBA Finals rather than early in the Playoffs. I think the MVP should remain a regular season award and it's completely appropriate to hand out individual awards at that time. For the most outstanding player who leads their team to a championship, the league already has an award: the Finals MVP.
  
  
• The goaltending rules. I do see the point in changing them because they can be difficult calls for the referees to make but I like the idea of the rules making things a little more challenging for players around the basket, preventing them from being able to swat or grab the ball off the rim on defense or for the offensive player to make the tip-in while it's still sitting on the rim. When it's in the imaginary cylinder above the rim on a miss...hmm, maybe, but I still like the rule as-is.

[The X]

Basically, the opposite to this thread. What are some of the things you don't want to see changed in the NBA?

• The jump ball rule. I'm not a big fan of the alternating possessions rule, I much prefer letting the players jump it up.
  
  
• The length of the regular season and Playoffs. Some people might favour making it shorter, I like it the way it is. Plenty of opportunities to get my basketball fix and a sprained ankle in the opening weeks needn't throw the whole season into jeopardy. I get the argument in favour of a shorter season but personally, I wouldn't make the change.

I probably disagree with these two, I'm a huge fan of the alternating possessions rule

I'd like to see regular season and playoffs slightly shorter. If I had to choose between which I would want shorter, I'd say playoffs, maybe a 5-5-7-7 format. Put the emphasis on the big-time matchups (Conference Finals & NBA Finals) and get through the earlier rounds a little quicker.

Regular season, yeah you could probably cut it to about a 65-70 game season but the league doesn't want to lose the revenue so it will stay at 82. Would still like to see playoff format adjusted, even if it is just back to 5-7-7-7 like in 90's

[Andrew]

I just don't get the appeal of alternating possessions, to me it feels like a cheap turnover/way to gain possession.

[The X]

I just don't get the appeal of alternating possessions, to me it feels like a cheap turnover/way to gain possession.

You still have to get a tie-up of the ball, which isn't easy. I hate jump balls since I'm not athletic

[Andrew]

I still see it as something that can bail out the defense rather than giving both teams a chance to win possession. That's not to say the rule doesn't or can't work, but I don't think the NBA needs to adopt it.

[The X]

I agree that the NBA doesn't need to adopt it. I'm talking in general about how much I like it in the college game (& at our level).

As for offensive/defensive goaltending when ball is on/above rim, I'd agree that this shouldn't be introduced.

[shadowgrin]

I used to be against changing the goal tending rule, not anymore though.
I think it makes the pace or flow of the game faster (may or may not be good, it has to be seen) and maybe even 'smoother' (good) since it doesn't have to make the players wait for the ball on whether it's out of the cylinder area or not.
If the new rule is implemented at the very least it forces players how to box out properly, which I think is more important than having a high vertical to grab rebounds. Just ask Larry Legend.

[koberulz]

I probably disagree with these two, I'm a huge fan of the alternating possessions rule

You're wrong.

[Andrew]

I think it makes the pace or flow of the game faster (may or may not be good, it has to be seen) and maybe even 'smoother' (good) since it doesn't have to make the players wait for the ball on whether it's out of the cylinder area or not.

I reckon if they changed the rule we'd see players padding their stats with putbacks that would be offensive goaltending under the old rules, leading to much handwringing over how easy it is to score following the rule change.

[shadowgrin]

True, but the defenses will adjust. Just look at how flopping became rampant.

[Andrew]

Perhaps. I don't know, I feel it gives defenders an extra chance bordering on an unfair advantage if they can swat the ball off the rim or within the imaginary cylinder. Miss a rotation or let an opponent get by you? No matter, so long as it doesn't go in clean you can still knock it away. I think the current rule works.

[shadowgrin]

It also works for the offense, as you mentioned previously. Miss a rotation or let an opponent get by you, you're toast since that offensive player and his teammates can 'pad' the score by tipping in the miss immediately.

[Andrew]

Sure. So I say leave it be but that's something you would change, that's cool.

I'm trying to think of other things I wouldn't change but nothing specific comes to mind. Most of the basics when it comes to rules - duration of the game, shot clock, foul out rules etc - I think they all work fine for the sport in the current era, I'd leave them be.

[benji]

I'm trying to think of other things I wouldn't change but nothing specific comes to mind. Most of the basics when it comes to rules - duration of the game, shot clock, foul out rules etc - I think they all work fine for the sport in the current era, I'd leave them be.

LANE VIOLATIONS?!?

[Andrew]

Well, the lane violation rules are fine as written. They just enforce them very casually.

[benji]

I don't know if you can consider them to be "enforced" really.

[Andrew]

Every once in a while they'd remember the rule. Now that Shaq's retired, we probably won't see many of them called at all.

[The X]

I probably disagree with these two, I'm a huge fan of the alternating possessions rule

You're wrong.

You're an idiot.

[koberulz]

I probably disagree with these two, I'm a huge fan of the alternating possessions rule

You're wrong.

You're an idiot.

No I'm not.

You're the only person I've ever met that has anything nice to say about the alternating possession rule. Mostly because there is absolutely nothing nice to be said about the alternating possession rule. They had it right for years, then changed it back for no particular reason and proceeded to completely ruin the game.

The alternating possession rule almost won me a game once, and I still hate it. That's how bad it is.

[The X]

I probably disagree with these two, I'm a huge fan of the alternating possessions rule

You're wrong.

You're an idiot.

No I'm not.

You're the only person I've ever met that has anything nice to say about the alternating possession rule. Mostly because there is absolutely nothing nice to be said about the alternating possession rule. They had it right for years, then changed it back for no particular reason and proceeded to completely ruin the game.

The alternating possession rule almost won me a game once, and I still hate it. That's how bad it is.

My post had the desired effect as your original post didn't give any reason why I was wrong.

I still personally like it but understand why people don't. However, why have alternating possessions for start of each qtr rather than ball up?

[koberulz]

My post had the desired effect as your original post didn't give any reason why I was wrong.

Andrew pretty much covered it.

I still personally like it

Other than "I'd never win a jump ball", why?

However, why have alternating possessions for start of each qtr rather than ball up?

It doesn't alternate in the NBA at the start of each quarter, and internationally when they had alternating possession they did start each quarter with a ball up.

[shadowgrin]

Instead of alternating possession how about continuous possession like in football (NFL)? If a team jacks up a shot in the last second, which usually happens, possession automatically changes to the other team in the next quarter.

[The X]

I still personally like it

Other than "I'd never win a jump ball", why?

It splits those 50-50 outcomes when you tie up the ball/the ball gets stuck on the rim etc. Naturally it can influence the result of a close game but it does so no more than one wrong refereeing decision.

Should alternate possessions be in the NBA? I don't really care if it is or isn't as it's not a big deal. There are more important potential rule changes that I would prefer to see than this one. I'm happy to watch alternate possessions at the college level.

However, why have alternating possessions for start of each qtr rather than ball up?

It doesn't alternate in the NBA at the start of each quarter, and internationally when they had alternating possession they did start each quarter with a ball up.

As far as I'm aware the following occurs in the NBA: Team A wins jump ball at start of the game; team B gets baseline inbound at start of quarter 2; team A quarter 3 & team B quarter 4. How is this not considered an alternating possession for start of each quarter?

[shadowgrin]

Team B gets it at start of quarter 2 and 3, Team A gets it quarter 4.

[koberulz]

It splits those 50-50 outcomes when you tie up the ball/the ball gets stuck on the rim etc.

Basically at random, rather than in some way the players actually influence. Same reason I hate coin tosses in football and cricket (the one thing the XFL actually got right).

As far as I'm aware the following occurs in the NBA: Team A wins jump ball at start of the game; team B gets baseline inbound at start of quarter 2; team A quarter 3 & team B quarter 4. How is this not considered an alternating possession for start of each quarter?

Because that's not what happens, as shadowgrin said.