National Basketball Association

Blazers GM on changing 'Hack'a' rules: 'It's a slippery slope'

Published May. 18, 2015 10:47 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Western Conference semifinals between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets was, if we're being extremely kind, very tough to watch. If we're being not-so-kind, it was an excruciating effort to make it through a game because of the non-stop, back-and-forth intentional fouling by both parties. The game slowed down to such an extreme degree that some called for the rules to be changed regarding intentional fouling.

Opinions on changing this rule vary from team to team, even from person to person. Portland Trail Blazers' President of Basketball Operations Neil Olshey, for example, isn't quite sold on the need, as he told SiriusXM Radio.

"'Aesthetically, we do have an issue,”'said Olshey. 'But I think it’s more isolated than people want to believe. This doesn’t go on all season… I think it’s a unique situation because you have two people who are vulnerable to this kind of strategy playing in the same series.'"

Olshey went on to say that changing the rules simply because of an isolated incident is a "slippery slope," which makes sense. It's unfortunate for the NBA and its fans, both those dedicated and perhaps especially those just now coming on board, to watch a game grind to a halt because of intentional fouls. Now, the NBA has to gauge whether it's worth changing the rules simply because of this one series, or if they maintain the status quo and hope a series like Rockets/Clippers never happens again.

(h/t Forward-Center)

Photo credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports