Marlon Richmond on Improving the NBA | The Joseph Planta Commentary |

Improving the NBA

By Marlon Richmond, for THECOMMENTARY.CA

Monday, 29 May 2006

The 2006 NBA playoffs have been one of the best in recent memory, certainly, the best in the 21st Century. The game has improved immensely, and new stars are finally making an impact in the exciting post-season. Considering how I had given up on the NBA around the time the Grizzlies left Vancouver, I am pleasantly surprised that the league was able to get over past transgressions and put out a better product. I am still recommending a few (serious) rule changes that I would help the legitimacy of the league, from my viewpoint as a basketball and sports fan.

1. Call diving. Too many players flop on the court as a defensive move in hopes of drawing an offensive foul. This is pure cheating, and is embarrassing to the game. The NBA should do what it can to eliminate this soccer-like aspect from the game. This should be an infraction worthy of one foul shot by the offensive team and the ball back, even if the offensive team scores a basket when the defensive dive occurs.

2. Add an infraction for whining to the referees. Many of the star players bitch and complain to the refs that they were/weren't fouled. This is far too annoying. Civilised discourse is okay at times, but come on, the players are solely bitching in hopes that the refs will give them a call to shut them up, and the refs eventually do so. Since this technique is used far too much by players (Tim Duncan being one) to artificially try to get calls in their favour by arguing an outrageous position ("I am fouled every time"), it is a cheap tactic that goes against the spirit of the game. The NBA should create a one or two shot penalty for whining to refs, without charging personal fouls, technical fouls or fines to the player. Since it may be unfair to reward the other team foul shots in the last minute of a close game solely for complaining to the referee, the rule would apply in the new form for the first 47 minutes of regulation and the first four minutes of an overtime period, with the current technical foul discretion applied in the final minute of a game (i.e. technical or ejection for excessive complaining). This allows the refs to crack down on whining without having to worry that the fans will get ripped off by a star getting ejected.

3. Show the real draft lottery. The lottery seems like it's rigged unless the ping pong ball draw is show live. Lotteries have been showing draws for years, with even an accountant standing by to certify this. The credibility of the NBA draft lottery will remain in question unless viewers and fans have a chance to see the actual lottery, instead of executives opening envelopes.

4. Shaw Cable should provide Raptors NBA TV. This isn't really an NBA complaint, and there isn't much viewership or demand for this channel, but the cable industry in Canada is screwed up when it comes to optional digital channels. A majority of digital channel aren't successful because of a la carte choice by consumers; therefore the channels and the cable companies aren't receiving as much money as they would if they just sold it as a tier-4 package at a somewhat modest price with all digital channels included. The NBA should continue what it has done with its Canadian TV contracts (which are free to Canadian sports channels), and just give away NBA TV for free in Western Canada as a way of advertising and promoting its product.

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