I agree with Mark, and the NBA has only made itself look more foolish by taking it away.

- Brian

also, since sura’s missed lay-up doesn’t count as an attempt because it was intentional, than would an intentionally missed free throw not count as a free throw attempt?? everyone knows that that is considered by some people a play, but the nba says that a purposely missed shot isn’t an attempt, so a purposely missed free throw shouldn’t be considered an attempt either.

Oh yeah, on the subject of ratings: I read today that TV ratings for ESPN and TNT coverage of the NBA are up about 15% each and that ratings for ABC’s coverage are down. Good – I dig Marv, the Czar, Kenny, EJ, and Sir Charles and the dudes ESPN have aren’t bad either… but ABC’s coverage is garbage. Seems the general public has figured that out as well. Nice to see the NBA returning to markets like Miami, Cleveland, and Denver too. Now if only someone could restore the Hawks… that would deserve a medal.

I believe Kobe was credited with just his dunk; no assist or rebound or anything else.

Throwing off the backboard (as of now) is not detrimental to the NBA. Remember when gang-guarding on Wilt Chamberlain as a Globetrotter led him to move to the NBA where illegal defense existed? And holding the ball all game long led to drastically low scoring and eventually the shot clock? Kobe’s and T-Mac’s moves are still legal in the books. I enjoy watching the game evolve and seeing how players figure out new, strategic ways to play the game and enhance competition.

Besides, if it adds more scoring, creates more momentum, and makes the game more exciting, why not allow it?

HOWEVER, if people passed off the backboard or off a guy’s head to themselves every single game, it SHOULD become illegal, much like how jumping out of bounds while calling a time-out (popularized by Rodman?) became a norm and eventually illegal.

I don’t think you could find anyone who would argue that Bryant should be charged with a missed field goal and a rebound when he throws the ball off the rim to himself, because he was clearly not attempting a field goal. At the same time, a pass to yourself is perfectly legal IF it hits something else before you touch it — throwing the ball of an opposing player after you lose your dribble would be a quintessential example of this. That’s precisely what the rule is stating.

Taking Cuban’s logic too far, you’d end up saying that if a guy accidentally tipped the ball off the backboard to himself, that would be traveling (unless, of course, it was deemed to be a field-goal attempt).

I’m still not sure I understand how what Sura did was any different than Jamal Crawford firing it up in the fourth quarter to get to 50 points. . . .

I remember last year when Employee #12 ( god, that sound’s terrible) made a similar move in Cleveland. Everyone in the media had a hissyfit…I thought, while rather childish and selfish, ces’t la vie.

We build these guys up so much, using their athletic ability as a means of personal validation. We all want them to believe the hype, because on any given night they will amaze us and make our jaws drop to the floor. That’s what sells tickets and puts butt in seats.

But the second they fall for it, and really start to believe that the stat line in tomorrow’s paper is their only legacy (before the media and the league say it’s ok), we turn around and tell them they don’t respect the game. Especially if they have a name like Sura or Davis.

I believe the hypocracy starts to creep in, when we(as fans) and those in the L it’s self, have a different set of standards for different players.

Take the Diesel for example. I do not understand how ANYONE doesn’t see that he commits more off. fouls then anyone in the history of the game. The guy cheats. Plain and simple. Don’t give me all that crap about the abuse he takes in the paint and his unmatched size….hooey. The guy plays football out there.

But, because he is “the don dada”, he gets (usually) cut alot of slack. Because he is one of the biggest names in the history of the N.B.A., he get’s to play by (usually) a different set of rules. And you don’t see one media personality (Tolbert doesn’t count….I wrote PERSONALITY) complain, you don’t see the N.B.A. going back and reviewing tapes to access another foul a day later. You don’t have the League changing his stats 24 hours later.

It always about the product. Protecting it. Developing it. Perfecting it.

The hardest thing to remember is, we all have a different opinion on HOW the product is protected and HOW it’s developed and what a perfect N.B.A would be. (see Danny Ainge)

I would have to agree with Mark on this issue of hypocracy. It is rampant, In my opinion. The thrilling thing about watching five on five is, it’s just ten guys of varied ability, playing by the same set of rules. Knowing that, only the will of the people on that court, will have an effect on the outcome of the game. To change the scorecard a day after the sixth Backstreet Boy fouls up and does something dumb is ludacris. (throw them ‘bows Shaq)

I remember the when my dad told me how in the fifties and early sixties, most people thought that dunking was disrespectful and “hotdogging”, and that it was “bad for the game”.

…imagine if Wilt only scored 70 points because the N.B.A. reviewed the game, and disallowed all the FGs that he dunked?

While, I don’t think this is the most perfect example of a double standard in the NBA, this very real practice in the NBA is one of its downfalls if you ask me. Star power buys a team too much in the NBA, from foul calls to a lack of violations like traveling, palming, etc. I would argue that it is worse in the NBA with only five guys on the court than in Major League Baseball with variations in the strike zone for hitters like Barry Bonds and pitchers like Pedro Martinez.

And speaking of statements, this is just the league saying “don’t do that anymore.” They could look into a rule change, but it doesn’t seem to me to be the most important thing to focus on.