The NBA announced changes to away-from-the-play foul calling Tuesday, specifically the practice known as "Hack-a-Shaq."
While the league didn't make radical changes such as outlawing it outright, three significant adjustments were made:
- The rule for away-from-the-play fouls made in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime resulting in free throws will now be expanded to the last two minutes of all quarters.
- Defensive fouls on inbounds plays will be treated the same as any away-from-the-play foul.
- The blatant fouling strategy of jumping on an opposing player's back will presumptively be called a flagrant foul immediately. Up until now, such plays were subject to flagrant calls but were not automatic.
"We'll reduce roughly 45 percent of the incidents," commissioner Adam Silver said at a Tuesday press conference in Las Vegas.
The practice of intentionally fouling poor free throw shooters goes back generations, but it wasn't until the last few seasons that the league - including Silver - voiced concerns over its effect on slowing down games.
