NBA Rule Change Addresses ‘Hack-A-Shaq’ Intentional Off-The-Ball Fouls

Intentional fouls ruin the excitement of NBA games.

It’s easy to understand why teams do it, though, because it’s effective. Putting bad free-throw shooters at the line often is the best way to erase a deficit, especially when stopping the opposing team is a huge challenge defensively.

Still, it’s not fun to watch, and the league’s competition committee knows it. So here are the rule changes recently approved by the committee for the 2016-17 season that impact intentional fouls.

One of the major changes is the rule goes from being enforced in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtimes to all periods.

Hopefully these changes lessen the amount of away-from-the-ball fouls. It’s worth a shot, anyway.

Thumbnail photo via Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports Images