NEW YORK – NBA owners approved a package of four rules
changes Thursday, including the elimination of the long-standing
ban on zone defenses.
"This is a bold move on the part of the NBA to change the rules
and allow something that we've spent many years hiding from – zone
defenses," Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo said. "This may be
one of the most significant changes since the imposition of the
24-second shot clock."
Designed to improve the flow and pace of the game and reduce
teams' dependance on isolation plays, the new rules will be tested
during summer league play before officially taking effect next
season.
The changes are:
All existing illegal defense guidelines will be eliminated.
A defensive 3-second rule will be established, limiting the
amount of time a defensive player may stand in the lane when he is
not closely guarding anyone.
Reducing from 10 seconds to 8 seconds the amount of time a
team will have to advance the ball past midcourt.
Redefining what constitutes a foul to allow for brief contact
initiated by a defensive player if it does not impede the progress
of a player with the ball.
The vote was 22-6 in favor of the rule changes with one owner abstaining. A two-thirds majority was required for passage, meaning at least 20 of the 29 teams were needed for the vote to pass.
Several players and coaches were opposed to the changes,
believing the NBA is making too big of a move in response to lower
scores, declining television ratings and flat attendance figures.
Shaquille O'Neal had a one-word response.
"Stinks," the Los Angeles Lakers star said. "I have a lot to
say, but not now.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson thinks the changes will help O'Neal.
"I think it'll be an advantage for Shaq, definitely,
defensively," Jackson said. "It's going to keep him around the
basket with a lot less movement.
"We're going to have a zone, everyone's going to have one in
their arsenal. It'll be good for basketball."
Colangelo chaired the select committee that proposed the
changes.
"Our belief is that the game has evolved, and the product we
have presently was one that needed attention," said Colangelo, who
chaired a select committee that proposed the changes. "The game
has changed in the sense that we've lost a lot of fluidity. We've
evolved into an isolation game because of our defensive guidelines,
and we weren't satisfied with the way the game looked."
The current illegal defense rules will be scrapped, and teams
will be allowed to play any defense they choose.
The one exception is that a defensive player will not be
permitted to stay in the lane for more than three seconds if he is more
than an arm's length away from his man. A violation will result in
a technical foul.
"That will prevent an out-and-out zone from being played in
the pure sense," Colangelo said. "There's going to be a lot more
man-to-man defense than people think."
The eight-second rule is designed to entice teams to pressure the
ball in the backcourt, which will theoretically produce more
open-court action and encourage teams to push the ball upcourt.
"The only question I have, and this was my suggestion, is to
start the 24-second clock when you cross halfcourt," Jackson said.
"I think you should have a little time to explore the defense."
The modification of the touch foul rule is designed to put an
end to the type of ticky-tack fouls that have become commonplace
since the league banned hand-checking two years ago. Next season,
defenders will once again be allowed to place their hand on the man
they are guarding as long as it does not impede the offensive
player's movement.
"I don't think there will be more scoring; I think there will
be less," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said.
Colangelo said the league will be willing to make adjustments to
the new rules, if necessary, after they have been implemented.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
ALSO SEE
May: Beware, as the zone is about to rule
Feedback: Zone takes away excitement
AUDIO VIDEO
 Coaches and players around the NBA react to the latest rule changes.
avi: 3543 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
 Who will benefit from the latest NBA rule changes? ESPN's Trey Wingo and Dr. Jack Ramsay weigh in.
wav: 894 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Dallas owner Mark Cuban hopes the latest rule changes will be implemented correcty.
wav: 1082 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
ESPN's David Aldridge answers the question: Which NBA team will be able to contain the zone defense?
wav: 5731 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
