Warriors star Draymond Green believes the game is more enjoyable to play since the NBA changed its foul rules, Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. The league has made it harder for offensive players to get to the foul line by going out of their way to initiate contact.
“You can 100 percent feel it,” Green said. “Because you don’t have guys doing the garbage to try and draw fouls anymore. I think this game was turning into who can draw the most fouls? Nobody wants to watch that and you definitely don’t want to play in a game like that. So you can feel the difference out there for sure. It’s just more pure basketball and that’s great for our game.”
Players such as Brooklyn’s James Harden are impacted by this sudden change. Throughout his career, Harden has been successful at driving and manipulating his defender for a foul, hooking his arms in a clever way or getting tangled up to earn free throws. Green also mentioned how much more enjoyable the game is to watch.
“Can I also say how satisfying it’s been to watch the game of basketball without all those bulls–t calls,” Green said. “I’m sorry, I’m not supposed to curse in interviews, right? Can I say how satisfying it is to watch the game without all those terrible calls. Guys cheating the game and grabbing guys and getting the foul. I’ve been really enjoying watching basketball this year.
“I kind of had stopped watching the NBA a bit because it was just too flailing and flopping and guys cheating the game and getting free throws. So I think that’s been great. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that because I think that’s been fantastic.”
Here are some other notes from the Pacific:
- Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is considering making lineup changes to boost his team’s offense, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register writes. Los Angeles has opened the season with just a 1-4 record. “If you’re playing well and you’re getting the shots you want to get and you’re not making them, does that call for change?” Lue asked. “That’s the biggest thing you go back and forth with. Just continuing to mess with the rotations and try to take away those stints where we go four, five, six minutes without scoring when PG is off the floor. We have to do something about that. So we’ve got something we’ll try tomorrow.”
- Jonathan Amey Jr., a security guard with the Warriors, recently got the chance to try out for the team’s G League affiliate, as relayed by NBC Sports. Although Amey didn’t make the team, his effort was applauded by multiple Warriors players. “I know he didn’t make the team,” Kevon Looney said, “but he went out there and tried, that’s all you could ask for.”
Got new respect for pg13 he’s playing like a top 5 player true stud ! Unfortunately for him without Kawhi he doesn’t have one sure fire top 100 teammate to help him out ! Second leading scorer on the team is at 12.5 ppg , big shock Reggie Jackson isn’t actually close to the star he played like for a few playoff games and Terrance Mann is a neat role player but no future all star ! Also not shocking is Bledsoe is bad an Winslow is already out of the rotation
James Harden ruined the game. He should be blacklisted when his contract is up. Cant believe how much more engaging and entertaining and free-flowing the games are now compared with Harden making everyone turn the game into drawing fouls and free throws, puke.
Its honest basketball vs dishonest basketball in a microcosm. We should never let dishonest basketball happen again.
Totally agree with Green. Not a fan but he’s one of best IQ players in league.
Right Marty !!!! Don’t worry Kuminga and Wiseman will save the day. It’s coming lol.
It was becoming a game of tricking the officials instead of outplaying the other team… guys manipulating fouls, traveling on step-backs moves and inventing words like “gather step” to justify it.
And refs were actually falling for it.
I’m glad someone is helping them “take the game back”, somewhat.
Well said Jumpshot.
While he’s not on the same level as Harden, Curry has drawn many a sketchy fouls over the years.
I’m fine with them calling less fouls. There has to be a balance though. I don’t want the game going back to being just about hacking the hell out of every guard that had the audacity to drive the lane ala’ Lambier, Mahorn, Washington and Oakley with every team having a guy on the roster just to act as an enforcer.
Curry isn’t nearly big and strong enough to draw as many fouls as Harden.
Being strong enough has nothing to do with drawing fouls. Being strong enough means you can score even though fouled. Two different things.
You’re talking about two different things tacocat. They have the flagrant fouls in place for what you’re talking about. That puts into protection from the horrible hacks.
Gary “playoff fouls” seem to be approved of, like there’s two sets of rules. That is not a big problem but I would prefer it was acknowledged and specified, instead of gunning for the appearance of inevitability to appease fans.
Enforcers usually have the talent of making their actions appear okay, and they get supported by fans that the league office would like to see more of, that watches pro wrestling, a ratings competitor.
Curry gets held by his opponents all the time and no calls on that. If you want to argue anything how about LeBron fake injury on every foul that should be a technical. Or how many 4 steps to the basket we see by many players. Giddy last game took 4 steps a few times and never called.
It’s funny how Marty (and others) say that Harden has ruined the game by drawing so many fouls, while Jerry West did the same thing and ended up on the NBA logo.
Yeah, he really didn’t, so there’s that……
RIP to the craftiness of players, I love to see a genius outsmarting a player, ref… whatever to get the advantage… shame it has been killed, now we will have to make to with the worst attribute in hoops, athleticism of people with no talent or BB IQ!
I would add it’s also a shame they kill the craftiness of scammers by putting them in jail.
That’s a horrible take El Don. We told you Saturday how horrible it was and you still don’t get it?
How about the refs just not make obviously bad calls instead of trying to change the game? Should quality not matter? Just cut the kick-out shooting fouls would be a good start… they make the sport look bad.
There is a tendency for refs close by the contact to make calls on a twitching basis, a blowing-the-whistle impulse, and then hold on to the reaction despite player complaints to appear decisive. Fans encourage this by booing calls made “late”. But considered calls tend to be more accurate than reactionary calls.
There should be a way to call a foul off, If other refs sees a call that is wrong, made too close and fast and respectful… that ideally does not take so much time as what currently takes a video review.
This rule enforcement raises Adam Silver up a notch in my book. He’s on notch one now.