Hack-a-big: Raptors used it vs. Pistons, but anger grows

Poor free-throw shooters are being ushered to the line by frequent and deliberate fouls. Is there something the NBA can or should do about it?

My attention was drawn to a lengthy article by David Aldridge, a well-respected NBA writer and TV commentator. He writes with dismay about the tactic of Hack-a-big (tackling an opponent’s big man before he can put back an offensive rebound, gambling he will miss the free throws) looming ever larger around the league. The overreach of this tactic was brought home to him when Washington fouled the inbounds passer(!), Clint Capela, so the Rockets wouldn’t be able to get into a proper half court set. The tactic worked (BOO!)

The Toronto Raptors used Hack-an-Andre to a limited degree in their victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Fortunately, the sleazy manoeuvre wasn’t a dire necessity for the Raptors. Regardless, and even though Drummond is an opponent, watching an All-Star hit one of nine free throws wasn’t exactly Must-See TV.

Aldridge makes the case very well for a change in the rules, and I urge you to read his entire thoughts [Note: they start after a lengthy analysis of the follies of Blake Griffin.] I would add a justification for a change in the rules to diminish the brazen practice; one which I called for the use of in my Pistons Preview, so shame on me.

If a player interferes with the ball after scoring a basket (e.g., in his excitement he knocks it out of bounds so the scored-on team must retrieve it from a fan), his team gets a Delay of Game warning. The second warning results in a technical foul, and a free throw. Why? Because it’s unsportsmanlike and disrupts the flow of the game. I suggest the same rationale can and should apply to a deliberate foul committed against a poor free-throw shooter. In the opinion of the referee, if a foul has the effect of (a) stopping the game with deliberate intent and (b) being committed as an illegitimate basketball play (i.e., no effort was expended in blocking a putback attempt or drive to the basket, instead the offensive player was simply “wrapped up”), a warning will be issued, supplementary to the foul call. If the deliberate foul happens again, a free throw is awarded. Lather, rinse, repeat.

So if Andre Drummond was wrapped up six times, three foul shots would be awarded, and the shooter can be any Piston on the floor. Don’t you think that would get coaches’ attention? Particularly in the playoffs, where scores drop and margins are tight, a couple of extra free throws can have a huge impact.

I don’t think the Raptors have ever had a player whose dominance on the boards has been so great as to be an unwilling participant in Hack-a-Rap. Jonas Valanciunas has until the past few games been a capable free throw shooter, so fouling him deliberately has had little payback. May it always be so. Bismack Biyombo was a brick tosser early in his career, but has been respectable with Toronto.

I’d be quite happy never to see deliberate fouls ever again, but until there’s a rule change (or the Drummonds of the world learn how to shoot free throws) Hack-a-bricker will continue. That’s bad for the NBA.