San Antonio Spurs Reputation Audit: Flopping, Hack-a-Shaq, Closeouts, and âThe Body Checkâ
May 8, 2008 â Dr. Anklesnap
The San Antonio Spurs are winners. Plain and simple. This cannot be disputed as they have dominated the NBA for almost the last decade. With four NBA titles in the last nine years, and being contenders in the other five, the Spurs are the benchmark for every franchise in the league. Much of this can be attributed to the Spurs acquisition in the 1997 NBA Draft of one of the greatest power forward/centerâs in league history. Tim Duncan.
But aside from winning, what else are the Spurs becoming known for?
To opposing fans and media the Spurs are becoming synonymous with words like âdirtyâ, âshadyâ, âcheatersâ, âcheap shotâ, ârule exploitersâ etc. etc. Bruce Bowen has taken the majority of this flack from anyone and everyone, for his overly aggressive style of defense. From kicks to grabs, and trips to ankle rolling, Bowen has been the subject of much discussion on the fine line between what is a tough aggressive defender and what is a dirty one. But the reputation the Spurs are developing is not just about Bowen. Remember Horryâs body check of Steve Nash into the scorerâs table in the 2007 NBA Playoffs when the game was clearly out of reach for San Antonio? How about Coach Gregg Popovich in this yearâs playoff series against the Phoenix Suns exploiting the off the ball fouling rules in what has been unanimously coined the âHack-a-Shaqâ? And finally letâs not forget the regular controversy over the seemingly perfected technique of âfloppingâ by the hyperactive Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto.
Iâve got to agree with the Spurs supporters on one thing. This is a manâs game. At some point regardless of the perceived injustice you have to just man up and fight through the best the defense throws at you. One thing is for sure, winning isnât easy, but itâs definitely worth the fight if you can get there. Hereâs my take on a few of the issues:
Flopping
There should be no place in basketball for flopping. The NBA should have cut this off when it first started happening, instead of waiting years to clarify the rule. The problem now is that the flopping technique has been evolved and perfected by some players to the point its next to impossible for the referees to distinguish between a charge and a flop. In large part I blame the ârestricted areaâ underneath the basket, as it discourages players from attempting to block shots. If you look at the number of blocks the NBA leaders have every year it is slowly but surely being degraded in favor of attempting to take a charge outside the restricted area, this flopping phenomenon is a disgrace to the game. Between 1998-2008 the NBA leader in blocks only cracked 300 for the year one time. In the previous ten years to that (1987-1997) the NBA leader in blocks broke the 300 blocks mark 9 out of the 10 years. For you visual folks, here is what we are talking about:
On the ball flopping:
Off the ball flopping:
Hack-a-Shaq
I am hoping and praying that this summer David Stern and company take a long look at what happened in the Suns-Spurs series and either extend the intentional foul interpretation to cover these types of off-the-ball fouls, or create a new rule avoid the egregious abuse of the rules. I know Popovich was well within his rights to use the Hack-a-Shaq and he gets big bucks to find these loop holes in the rules and exploit them to the benefit of his employer, but it really does ruin the spirit of the game for all those involved. Brian McCormick probably said it best this post-season regarding the Hack-a-Shaq.
Closeouts
Over the years Iâve heard many people come to the defense of Bruce Bowen by calling his tactics strong aggressive defense. And when asked about the regular occurrence of Bowen sticking his feet underneath the offensive player as they come down from jump shots as a perimeter âcloseoutsâ. Câmon, maybe if it happened just once or twice it could be chalked up to a strong perimeter closeout where the defender couldnât stop completely on a dime and their foot slid underneath the shooter, but the recurrences are getting pretty glaring. For a better visual:
The Body Check
Everyone who has played a competitive sport knows that sometimes tempers flare, and the game gets heated. But there is no place in any sport for the type of hit Robert Horry (6â10â, 245 lbs) put on Steve Nash (6â2â, 178lbs) in the Western Conference Finals last year when the game was completely out of reach for the Spurs in the closing minutes. What is the most surprising about the situation was that the hit was put on Nash who is generally considered one of the most sportsmanlike ambassadors of the league. In my opinion the suspension Horry received was much too short. Stu Jackson really should have ended the season of Horry for the hit. Hereâs the hit below, what do you think?
So there it is. Are the Spurs a dirty team? Iâm still not sure I can answer one way or the other. But for a final though Iâll leave you with thisâŚ.when I was a kid learning the game I remember my Dad telling me stories about his playing days and some of the âtricks of the tradeâ for an effective (but clearly illegitimate) style of defense. Everything from grabbing shorts, to stepping on toes, to pulling leg hair. I used to tell my dad he was âold-schoolâ and how no one does that crap anymore. So maybe after all is said and done, the Spurs arenât dirty; they are just âold-schoolâ? Hmmmm
Loading ...
May 8th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I love the last line of that article….”is it dirty or is it old school?”
Well, it’s both. I know I’m going to get alot **** from all the geezers on this board who romanticize the old days…but um, “old school” pretty much wrote the book on how to be dirty. Why? Because players weren’t nearly as physically talented back then as they are now. It’s no surprise that the Spurs play dirty, because they are by far the least talented contender in the NBA.
Danny Ainge, Bill Laimbeer, Danny Ferry, Bill Walton (I know I’m leaving out some obvious names) all existed in the league because they overcame their physical deficincies by learning how to capitalize on every single trick play in the book. The Pistons did it, the Knicks did it, and now the Spurs are doing it. There will always be teams like them…teams with a very intelligent coach, intelligent but not-so-physically gifted players, and a level of cohesiveness that few can match. However, as seen in history….nobody likes teams like that, and they usually end up failing when matched with real talent. Look at who the Spurs have faced in the finals when they’ve won….the 99′ Knicks, the 03′ Nets, the 05′ Pistons, and the ohso great 07′ Cavs. Besides the Pistons, were any of their opponents worth shaking a stick at? Does anyone even remember anything about those finals other then that they were boring as hell to watch, and no one really cared about them in the first place?
The Spurs will lose to the Hornets because the Hornets have physical talent and team cohesiveness….while the Spurs only have the latter. If the Lakers, Celtics, or even the Hornets end up winning it all this year…people will remember and enjoy that finals series far more than all four Spurs championships combined. The Spurs will be regarded as just an unpleasant bump in the road to real championship legends.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Amen. Well put. Bill Laimbeer was the classic case.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
[...] fans… - The Legend of Cecilio Guante - Help us, Obi-Ron Turiaf, you’re our only hope. - Hoop Doctors - Body checks, closeouts, and flopping—all in a day’s work for the Spurs. - With [...]
May 8th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Tristan you almost had me up until the point where you said the Hornets or Lakers would make an exciting finals.
Lakers yes, Hornets no.
Lakers vs. Celtics would be a good throw back to the old days and get lots of viewers.
The Hornets don’t have near the market the other teams have to get enough viewers to make it worth while.
They are in the same category as the spurs in that regard.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
I’m going with Tristan on this one. UGH you are crazy. The Hornets play an exciting brand of basketball and the viewership would be great with the Hornets in the finals. Would be great for the city of N.O. as well.
Go Hornets!
May 8th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I’m not one to condone flopping but my mind isn’t made up on the matter yet. I cannot see any way to regulate flopping that wouldn’t be entirely subjective. Known floppers would obviously get the brunt of any rules changes as they should.
However, drawing a charge is an art. It’s an extremely difficult thing to do — much more of a skill than having a 42″ vertical and throwing a ball into a hoop. At least in my opinion.
Call me an apologist but there’s something to be said about gritty players. It keeps people connected to the game. It’d be pretty to see a bunch of LeBrons, D-Wades and Chris Bosh-esque athletes running around. But sanctioning athleticism will take the flavor out of the game. What do you think?
May 8th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Feet in paint…
I understand your point. My main concern with flopping is that some of the shot blockers are no longer even trying to block shots. Sometimes you’ll see a power forward trying to set his feet while a point or shooting guard is bearing down on him. It looks ridiculous and is a mockery to the game. (see Pau Gasol vid above)
Now on the other hand, there are lots of small guys like Steve Nash who regularly put their bodies on the line to take a charge. This can be nobel and mind over matter . It is always going to be a completely subjective call by the referee, but if there is some sort of penalty possible for flopping that would hurt the teams, just the threat of a significant penalty may be enough to deter the chronic floppers. Even if it cuts the flopping in half, I think it is worth it.
May 8th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Yeah, I see where you’re coming from. There should be some way to deter flopping, I just can’t see how it would be done.
Regarding your shot-blocking point though: do you have a flash and/or new-age basketball mentality? Or do you have more of an “old-school” and/or steak and potatoes paradigm?
I ask only because your shot-blocking concern is interesting. I think any decrease in blocked shots is exclusive from flopping. Defense, for the most part, is played with your feet. I can’t tell you how many times my coaches would yell at me for leaving my feet and going for a block.
Bigs setting their feet may be more of a function of good coaching or the realization that if you stay on your feet, you likeliness of drawing a charge is great. Compare this to if you leave your feet and make any movement swiping at LeBron James’ hands — automatic and-one.
May 8th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Defense is played with your feet. And the fact is i’m a shooting guard, so feet movement is the key to my whole defensive scheme.
But as playa’s we both know that if all a big man did was set his feet and raise his arms without jumping to block a shot, he would be like a pylon down there. Even a point guard with half decent athleticism could shoot over top of that with ease. Setting your feet in position is only step one of defending on the block.
With that said, blocking shots is a fine art of timing. You can’t get that timing without years of playing and practicing. I’m just concerned that the really young dudes, are watching the NBA and spending more time trying to flop around then develop that timing necessary to be a good paint protector.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Alright, I gotcha. I see your point. Thanks for bearing with me and cheers.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:36 am
The question shouldn’t be “is it dirty or old-school?” because every team in the NBA has some mixture of both. Some are more blatant in their use of the “tricks of the trade” than others, but make no mistake - they will use them to their advantage and try to get it. Add to this the faked outrage and drama worthy of an Oscar nomination and you’ve got a typical NBA ball game.
Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has been involved in basketball for more than 40 years having played at the U.S. Air Force Academy before graduating there in 1970. He’s coached for nearly 35 years at the collegiate and professional levels. He knows a thing or two about the game.
Did he teach his players to break the rules? I don’t think so. They’re doing the same thing every other ten-year-old does on the playground when they play pick-up games with each other. Otherwise, the problem wouldn’t be as widespread as it is in the sport.
Is the problem serious? Not really. I do have a problem with the increasing occurances of flopping. It seems like every team now has a designated flopper they send in to try to garner a few extra points during games. I hope the league does something about it.
Finally, I have to ask the question of what makes for a more exciting game - watching a player make effortless heroic Michael Jordan-esque acrobatics look simple on the floor OR the smart, hard-nosed, fast-paced basketball that New Orleans and San Antonio have been dishing up? I vote for the latter.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
SpurAddict,
Good points. I also doubt that Gregg Popovich is somehow the mastermind behind all the flopping, checking, and ankle twisting.
Only reason Pop was mentioned was because of his ability to find the loop hole in the rule book and exploit it. I do understand though that its partly why he’s paid to be there. Get the job done.
As for your question on what makes a more exciting game. Can’t you have both? I think CP3 was pretty acrobatic last night. How about the hard nosed, smart, and fast paced play in the Dallas-Miami finals two years ago…..pretty sure Wade was acrobatic there.
And lets not forget the Jordan Bulls. You even referenced it as “jordan-esque” in your post. They were the kings of fast paced, smart, and hard nosed, all the while Jordan being his acrobatic self. Making it look easy.
Maybe we can have our cake and eat it too?
May 9th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
You can’t certainly have both. In an interview within the last few years, Michael shared some of the tricks he used while playing the game.
For example, while on defense, he would place his hand on a ball handler’s hip. His opponent would be in the triple-threat and when his man would take his first step, Jordan could steer him a little bit.
Athleticism and grit isn’t oil and water. But as I mentioned before, the abscence of one would certainly hurt the game.
May 9th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Correction: you CAN certainly have both. Haha — long work week.
May 9th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
i dont think the whole team is dirty.bowen and horry are…but i am really sick of manu ginobili’s panzy flops
May 9th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Spursaddict, while everyone has a right to have an opinion on their favorite style of play….it still doesn’t disprove my point. Teams like the Spurs are overlooked and largely disliked because MOST people prefer jordan-esque basketball. It’s simply public preference…and public preference has been proven to be the largest factor in who or what gets remembered, and how they get remembered. Sports is, after all, entertainment. If you turn winning into an ugly, grinditout, scrappy affair with lots of flops, thrown elbows and hacks then maybe you’ve lost sight of what it means to play professional sports in the first place.
May 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Tristan,
I guess you think the Celtics are dirty too cause they play good defense? You think they are ugly cause they play scrappy grindout games?
Wake up buddy, the Celts are the best the league has to offer!
May 10th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I think the rise of flopping in the paint can be directly attributed to Shaq, and the calls he always got, especially in the playoffs. In the famous game 7 against Pippen’s Trailblazers, Shaq committed (in my opinion) somewhere between 9 and 12 fouls but was only whistled for 5. His offensive move where he lowered his shoulder and plowed over defenders who had their feet set was unstoppable and rarely called, so players and coaches had to adjust…
May 10th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Ahhh the good ol’ ‘dislodging’ interpretation change. Since the refs have cracked down on the dislodging, the power game has changed in the low block.
Is it for the better? Or does it penalize a power player? Shaq is obviously passed his prime so it’s no longer an issue for him. But I see Dwight Howard struggling with this now. He gets a lot of those foul calls for offensive on the dislodging.
May 10th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I was as big of a fan of the blazers in that series as anyonen. At the time I thought Shaq deserved to foul out of every game. But really, there is no reason to penalize a player for being completely physically dominating. It seems very unfair.
And as far as the Celtics go…I and many other people like them because they have something the Spurs totally lack - personality.
May 10th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
I agree with Tristan completely. The Celtics have a lot more personality than the Spurs. Their players are a hell of a lot more exciting too.