[NBA] Comments that don't warrant a thread (FEB)

Insomniacal Fan said:
I think it would be cool if the NBA could figure out how to have small guards filling a regular niche. Now everybody under 6'3" is considered undersized.
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I'm not sure there's a good answer to this one. Banning the hand check is what gave smaller guards an edge in the first place. Stephen Curry (6'2") doesn't become the stratospheric, game-altering force that he is if that rule change doesn't arrive. It gave him literal space on the court to be who he is. It also had the side effect of encouraging taller players to become more adept ball handlers. They had less to fear at the point of attack, thus the explosion of ball handling and playmaking from wing players that beset the league in the wake of the ban.

Of course, this had the ultimate effect of marginalizing all of the small guards who aren't at Curry's level (though the Dubs have always had to hide him on defense), because now teams could stack size at just about any/every position. If ball handling and playmaking can theoretically come from anywhere, then there's just not much advantage to going small these days if you can avoid it.

So maybe you bring back the hand check? But that marginalizes the smaller guards again, who all of a sudden need to get stronger to create space. Ironically, a guy like Davion Mitchell, with the strength he possesses for his size, could thrive in the era of the hand check. It's honestly kind of amazing that this one tiny rule change had such an enormous impact on the shape of the entire league.
 
Watched the Wizards upset win last night, Will Riley looks like a stud. Cant remember if he went late first or early second but I think they found one with him
 
So the Bucks have now won two games in a row and it appears that I owe Ryan Rollins an apology for failing to take his 4th year ascent from second round depth piece to reliable starting lead guard seriously.
 
Padrino said:
I'm not sure there's a good answer to this one. Banning the hand check is what gave smaller guards an edge in the first place. Stephen Curry (6'2") doesn't become the stratospheric, game-altering force that he is if that rule change doesn't arrive. It gave him literal space on the court to be who he is. It also had the side effect of encouraging taller players to become more adept ball handlers. They had less to fear at the point of attack, thus the explosion of ball handling and playmaking from wing players that beset the league in the wake of the ban.

Of course, this had the ultimate effect of marginalizing all of the small guards who aren't at Curry's level (though the Dubs have always had to hide him on defense), because now teams could stack size at just about any/every position. If ball handling and playmaking can theoretically come from anywhere, then there's just not much advantage to going small these days if you can avoid it.

So maybe you bring back the hand check? But that marginalizes the smaller guards again, who all of a sudden need to get stronger to create space. Ironically, a guy like Davion Mitchell, with the strength he possesses for his size, could thrive in the era of the hand check. It's honestly kind of amazing that this one tiny rule change had such an enormous impact on the shape of the entire league.
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It's an interesting balance that you're pointing out, eliminating hand-checking creates an larger offensive niche for small guards, but bigger players are eventually able to outcompete and dominate in that niche (everybody can shoot 3s now.) The emergent effects of rule changes are a demonstration that the sport is fundamentally driven by competitive forces. Ya love to see it.

If I were to give it a try, I'd look at ways to make it easier to hide a weak defender, something to make switching defenses less crucial. Maybe limiting the number of screens allowed on a play, or letting players who are fighting through screens get away with more contact.

My pet rule change is to reduce the significance of rangy wing players by only granting 1 free throw for a 3 point attempt foul(incentivize intentional fouling of 3 point shooters.) If you increase the relative value of mid-range shooting, you increase the value of people who can stay in front of people who can get into mid-range.
 
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