Pretty sure this is just gamesmanship by Hoiberg, but either way, this forum clearly needs some spice if I'm the one actually starting a thread on the topic.
Hoiberg is working the officials and trying to get into the head of Isaiah.....that is one of the primary jobs of a coach. It's a good move on his behalf.
The players rewrote the rules on this. Tim Hardaway perfected it and then Iverson took it to another level to the point where the league enforced a strict "palming" rule during the preseason one year but the Union fought it and won so it never was implemented in the regular season. Like how playgrounds were full of passing in the early 80's as kid emulated Bird and Magic, the crossovers and hop steps on the playgrounds went from reckless copycatting to a skill now taught at the earliest levels. It is how the game has evolved....and allows Jamal Crawford to still cash his game checks.
Travelling bugs me more, because it could fixed easier. I mean at one time all these guys kept their pivot foot and used footwork to their advantage.
That's good that he is doing this. You know what another primary job of a coach is? Taking advantage of a poor defensive player with four fouls who is killing you on the offensive side of the game. Hoiberg got badly out-coached last night and he is reaching for an excuse.
This. Just FWIW, remember that Scottie Pippen ad where it starts off with all the white players in black-and-white, and then it switches over to Pippen dunking over everyone in color? Well, that and film of Cousy dribbling make it seem like guys like Iverson and Jordan and Kyrie Irving, etc., are far superior ball handlers than guys like Cousy.
Anyone who was not a Bulls (or Knicks I guess) fan in the mid-90s will heartily endorse the NBA working this way.
Yeah, I get wanting to give offensive players more room to operate but it would be nice if blatant travels were called more frequently. There is a happy medium between calling a game like it's being played at Hickory High School and allowing 6 steps on a fast break.
That was my perception too, but the point above about screens is definitely true as well. A quick seven footer allowed to stick his leg out and/or set a moving screen will clog up the lanes in a different way than I recall from a couple decades ago. Perhaps it's an evolution of the game resulting from the incredible athleticism and the league just wanting to showcase it's stars.
The way the rule is interpreted today Isaiah is at a tremendous disadvantage behind 5'8 while having a relatively high dribble (for his size). If you stop the balls rotation while you hand is on the side of the ball, like Butler and Wade do at times, it is considered legal. If you continue the balls rotation while hand is on the top, which is Isaiah's signature move, it is considered legal. It is only when the hand is on top and the ball is not rotating that they will call the violation. This doesn't account for egregious carries when the player loses control I'm only referring to when a player is attacking.
Not a good look for the NBA if all of a sudden IT gets called for carrying tomorrow only because Hoiberg publicly whined. But then again, it is the NBA.
I mean, I know none of this is rational and all part of the game...but his guy took 23 (!!!) FT last game while the Cs took 22 as a team. It's really hard to argue with a straight face that the Bulls are being screwed by the refs. I know Brad hates doing it, but it would have been nice to see him come out a bit more forcefully on this in defense of his guy.
This 100%.
And let's not forget some egregious no calls on goaltending. I hope they focus on getting things like that right rather than enforcing antiquated dribble violations.
I think it would be a good move if it were less transparent or if Hoiberg had more credibility. Isaiah laughed it off and I expect the officials will be more annoyed than anything else. This is not a coach asking about some borderline 'who fouled who' situation, this is pretty much just making stuff up.
I don't think this is an NBA travel. The NBA allows two steps, and that doesn't include the push off/"gather" of the ball. So the step when he picks up his dribble at the top of the paint doesn't "count" toward the two. He takes two steps then it's hard to tell if his foot hits for a third step before he releases. Certainly too hard to ask a live human to catch in real-time while also trying to call fouls, etc.
Hoiberg is trying to stop a guy that looks to be unguardable. If he gets one palming violation - and IMO it's likely he'll get one but probably won't get two - he's done his job and MAYBE, just maybe, it makes IT4 hesitate a split second.
This would be like the 1975 World Series when, iirc, Sparky Anderson complained ahead of game 1 that Tiant had an illegal pick-off move.
I think this is basically where I stand on these things. If, with the benefit of half-speed replay it's not clear that Butler travelled, it's unreasonable to expect officials to get it right 100% of the time in real time.
That play actually doesn't bother me because it's about forcing the defender to give you space that creates other good looks. On the other hand, the pump fake, get your guy in the air, jump into him play is one I hate. There is no good reason why that shouldn't be a charge.
Do you really think one of Brad Stevens' "primary jobs" is saying things to the media to get into the head of Jimmy Butler?
I read his statement as more of working the officials as one of the primary jobs.
Working officials and trying to gain a psychological edge against on your opponents star player? Absolutely.....both of these. Every coach has virtually all the same X and O's.
That's just wrong. A rule is a rule. He gains an advantage of not having to develop a ball shooting technique that prevents him from naturally carrying his momentum over the line, like players who follow the rules have to. If he can't make a free throw shot without breaking the rules, then that should be a mark against him.
