Shorter Game, More Commercials

[BTP]

Right now it's 10 mandatory timeouts. In the format being tested this number is reduced to 8, while attempting to reduce air time in order to fit the game better into television slots.

The article didn't say anything about the first and 3rd quarter timeouts because they stay the same. They said reduce the 2nd and 4th quarter timeouts.

So by reading carefully you could have spotted that the 1st and 3rd quarter timeouts stay untouched. Often times these timeouts aren't even taken in practice because a team has already taken a full timeout within the first 6 minutes.

I like the 48 minute format, as it presents the opportunity to feature more roster depth. Reducing game time would lead to smaller roster and this would mean more dominant play of MVP type player who always get a 1 minute breather midway through the quarter to recharge and reduce injury susceptibility. What I like about 40 min gametime is that it reduces the overall game length and also adds variance to the game, offering more upsets and unlikely results.

 

[Ellipse]

44 minute games mean coaches will be tempted to leave their star players in for the entire game. My memory is always suspect, but I believe Stockton and Malone frequently logged 40+ minutes a game when they were in their prime.

 

[moevillini]

According to the article, the 48-min format has 3 mandatory timeouts in the 2nd and 4th quarter. It does not mention ANY mandatory timeouts in the 1st or 3rd. Maybe the article is poorly written and there are a couple of mandatory timeouts in the 1st and 3rd. If so, I stand corrected. But I still see no sense in reducing the periods by 1 min each. Either leave it the way it is, or align the rules with that of FIBA (40 min games)....

I wouldn't say it's exactly a poorly written article, but it's not real clear on that point. I think it's written only to reflect the CHANGES that would take place in the 2nd & 4th quarters (reducing from 3 to 2 timeouts) and not the total number of timeouts in a game.


I agree that the season should be shortened - or if not the regular season, then at least they should go back to having 5 game series for the first 2 rounds of the play-offs.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

Since we're talking about changing the rules, here's a few rule changes I'd like to see instituted:

-On out of bounds plays, allow players to grab the ball and initiative the in-bounds play without having to have the ref handle the ball, like they do in soccer. This will increase the tempo of the game and lead to more transition scoring.

-Eliminate the stupid foul where an offensive player gets to swing the ball into the outstretched arms of the defender, such as what Paul did to Exum the other night, and get the foul. This irritates me to no end. The offensive player actually initiates the contact but the foul is called on the defender. The defender has just as much right to that space of the offensive player does.

-Apply a strict time limit for free throw and disallow the tiresome routine of every damned player on the team having to go up to the shooter for a hand slap. When did this dumb tradition start, and dear God, can we please get rid of it?

-Stop calling touch fouls at the top of the key when the PG or other player is initiating the offense. If there is contact, but it doesn't at all alter the play, give refs the flexibility to invoke an advantage rule, meaning that if the defensive player doesn't really gain any advantage, then no foul is called.

-With all the TV timeouts, reduce the number of discretionary timeouts a team gets. In the last 2 minutes of a period, limit discretionary timeouts to 30 seconds.

-Eliminate hack a Shack types of fouls, that is, don't call intentional off the ball fouls. And for intentional fouls, award 3 to make 2 free throws to discourage intentional fouling (years ago, the NBA actually did have 3 to make 2 foul shots).

-Allow defenders the plane of space 90 degrees up from where they are standing and stop calling fouls when the offensive player actually jumps into this space and initiates contact with the defender.

Any others?

-Increase the number of fouls allowed until a team is in the bonus (maybe).

 

[Stifle Tower]

Agree with all of those. jimmy, except the 3 to make 2. What we need are FEWER FT's.

Maybe on a backcourt foul, simply give the team the choice of either inbounding the ball again (their choice of where to do it) and reset the shot clock to 24 seconds instead of awarding FT's. Did the NBA have those crazy 3 to make 2 and 2 to make 1 FT rules? I thought that was the ABA.

 

[Joe Bagadonuts]

Since we're talking about changing the rules, here's a few rule changes I'd like to see instituted:

-On out of bounds plays, allow players to grab the ball and initiative the in-bounds play without having to have the ref handle the ball, like they do in soccer. This will increase the tempo of the game and lead to more transition scoring.

-Eliminate the stupid foul where an offensive player gets to swing the ball into the outstretched arms of the defender, such as what Paul did to Exum the other night, and get the foul. This irritates me to no end. The offensive player actually initiates the contact but the foul is called on the defender. The defender has just as much right to that space of the offensive player does.

-Apply a strict time limit for free throw and disallow the tiresome routine of every damned player on the team having to go up to the shooter for a hand slap. When did this dumb tradition start, and dear God, can we please get rid of it?

-Stop calling touch fouls at the top of the key when the PG or other player is initiating the offense. If there is contact, but it doesn't at all alter the play, give refs the flexibility to invoke an advantage rule, meaning that if the defensive player doesn't really gain any advantage, then no foul is called.

-With all the TV timeouts, reduce the number of discretionary timeouts a team gets. In the last 2 minutes of a period, limit discretionary timeouts to 30 seconds.

-Eliminate hack a Shack types of fouls, that is, don't call intentional off the ball fouls. And for intentional fouls, award 3 to make 2 free throws to discourage intentional fouling (years ago, the NBA actually did have 3 to make 2 foul shots).

-Allow defenders the plane of space 90 degrees up from where they are standing and stop calling fouls when the offensive player actually jumps into this space and initiates contact with the defender.

Any others?

-Increase the number of fouls allowed until a team is in the bonus (maybe).

I love your first five.

I think the Hack a Shaq thing puts a premium on big men with complete games, and I like that, so I wouldn't change the rule. Yes, it can slow down a game, but it can also make the finish more interesting.

I'm not sure I understand number 7. Can you find any video of the situation you're describing and then explain how you think it should be called?

I don't see any compelling reason to change the number of fouls prior to the bonus. Why do you want to consider this?

 

[sgjazzfan]

Who is talking about adding time? The proposal the league is exploring is to subtract game time and replace it with commercials.

Sorry, taking time from the game.

 

[♪alt13]

Since we're talking about changing the rules, here's a few rule changes I'd like to see instituted:

-On out of bounds plays, allow players to grab the ball and initiative the in-bounds play without having to have the ref handle the ball, like they do in soccer. This will increase the tempo of the game and lead to more transition scoring.

-Eliminate the stupid foul where an offensive player gets to swing the ball into the outstretched arms of the defender, such as what Paul did to Exum the other night, and get the foul. This irritates me to no end. The offensive player actually initiates the contact but the foul is called on the defender. The defender has just as much right to that space of the offensive player does.

-Apply a strict time limit for free throw and disallow the tiresome routine of every damned player on the team having to go up to the shooter for a hand slap. When did this dumb tradition start, and dear God, can we please get rid of it?

-Stop calling touch fouls at the top of the key when the PG or other player is initiating the offense. If there is contact, but it doesn't at all alter the play, give refs the flexibility to invoke an advantage rule, meaning that if the defensive player doesn't really gain any advantage, then no foul is called.

-With all the TV timeouts, reduce the number of discretionary timeouts a team gets. In the last 2 minutes of a period, limit discretionary timeouts to 30 seconds.

-Eliminate hack a Shack types of fouls, that is, don't call intentional off the ball fouls. And for intentional fouls, award 3 to make 2 free throws to discourage intentional fouling (years ago, the NBA actually did have 3 to make 2 foul shots).

-Allow defenders the plane of space 90 degrees up from where they are standing and stop calling fouls when the offensive player actually jumps into this space and initiates contact with the defender.

Any others?

-Increase the number of fouls allowed until a team is in the bonus (maybe).

-I like this idea. It would eliminate out of bounds as an opportunity for subs to come in but I still like it.

-Agreed

-I'm pretty sure that there is already a time limit. Opposing fans used to count Karl down

-Agreed

-Agreed

-Agreed except the 3 for 2 thing

-Pretty sure this is already a rule as well. As long as the player goes straight up they are supposed to be ok. It is just often called wrong. They need to make it an area of focus.

others

reduce the halftime show to really quick highlights. They put 15 mins on the clock and they never start right when the buzzer sounds. Cut it to 12 and be strict.

 

[zman1527]

Since we're talking about changing the rules, here's a few rule changes I'd like to see instituted:

-On out of bounds plays, allow players to grab the ball and initiative the in-bounds play without having to have the ref handle the ball, like they do in soccer. This will increase the tempo of the game and lead to more transition scoring.

-Eliminate the stupid foul where an offensive player gets to swing the ball into the outstretched arms of the defender, such as what Paul did to Exum the other night, and get the foul. This irritates me to no end. The offensive player actually initiates the contact but the foul is called on the defender. The defender has just as much right to that space of the offensive player does.

-Apply a strict time limit for free throw and disallow the tiresome routine of every damned player on the team having to go up to the shooter for a hand slap. When did this dumb tradition start, and dear God, can we please get rid of it?

-Stop calling touch fouls at the top of the key when the PG or other player is initiating the offense. If there is contact, but it doesn't at all alter the play, give refs the flexibility to invoke an advantage rule, meaning that if the defensive player doesn't really gain any advantage, then no foul is called.

-With all the TV timeouts, reduce the number of discretionary timeouts a team gets. In the last 2 minutes of a period, limit discretionary timeouts to 30 seconds.

-Eliminate hack a Shack types of fouls, that is, don't call intentional off the ball fouls. And for intentional fouls, award 3 to make 2 free throws to discourage intentional fouling (years ago, the NBA actually did have 3 to make 2 foul shots).

-Allow defenders the plane of space 90 degrees up from where they are standing and stop calling fouls when the offensive player actually jumps into this space and initiates contact with the defender.

Any others?

-Increase the number of fouls allowed until a team is in the bonus (maybe).

Agreed. But rather than 3 for 2, give them a point and one free throw. Free throws suck completely, get rid of as many as we can. I would do the same for shooting fouls, give them a point and a free throw, AT LEAST for the ones where there was no attempt to defend but only an attempt to stop the guy from shooting, like grabbing them from behind.

- no easy fouling at the end of a game. The way it is now, the refs know when a team wants a foul they give it to them before any contact is even made.

 

[Gobzilla]

Oh how I love DVR. I can't remember the last time I watched a commercial!

 

[Stifle Tower]

Oh how I love DVR. I can't remember the last time I watched a commercial!

They'll find a way to change it.

I see LP costing the same, but no longer including all the games. Perhaps 70-75, but each team will eventually have soem "premium" games taht will have to be purchased on a "pay-per-view" basis. And the same with cable. There will come a time when extra money will have to be ponied up for certain games. The monster TV contract has to eventually be taken out of the hides of the fans.

 

[One Brow]

Basically, I see this reducing the time most bench players (or fifth starters) are on the floor by four minutes, and not changing th etime starters play at all.