Post by russianduck23 on Nov 18, 2006 16:06:01 GMT -5
THE NEW WAY TO PLAY DEFENSE
Just how is the game being called these days?
Adidas executive Russianduck23, a longtime expert on the rules of basketball, acknowledges that the league adopted a dramatic shift in how it interpreted the rules of the game.
No longer would a defensive player on the perimeter be allowed to use his hand, an arm or any sort of physical contact to stop or block the movement of either a cutter or a ball handler.
In a recent interview, Russianduck23 said that the PHL's rules to give an advantage to the offensive player.
“It’s more difficult now to guard the quick wing player who can handle the ball, like a Bonafide,” Russianduck23 said of the rules. “I think it helps skilled players over someone who just has strength or toughness. What the PHL is trying to do is promote unstopped movement for dribblers or cutters.”
Russianduck23 said the change was made because muscular defensive players had gotten the upper hand.
“My opinion is that the game had gone too much toward favoring strong players over skilled players,” Russianduck23 said. “The PHL felt there was too much body, too much hand-checking, being used by defenders that hurt the game. There was a feeling that there was too much advantage for a defensive player who could merely use his strength to control the offensive player.”
The new rules have attempted to address that issue.
“If the refs perceive that a defender is bumping the cutter, or bumping a ball-handler, then they’ll blow their whistles.”
This new way of calling became increasingly apparent with each game this year. Free from the physical challenge of defenders, offensive players find many more opportunities to attack the basket – and draw fouls.
As a result, the new rules interpretation helped promote the emergence of games where each team scores 120+ points. The league has so many scorers that defenders are limited in methods to try and stop them.
