View Full Version : What about speeding up free throws?

01-12-2011, 07:43 PM
Just a thought I've had a couple times:

What do you guys think about speeding up the free throw shooting process?

I'm not a big fan of all the ticky tack fouls that get called now in the modern NBA, but I guess we will have to live with it. But one really annoying by product is how much it slows down the game.

Is there a way to solve this to some degree? How about an automatic 1.5 points if you get fouled? Or, you could have everyone in the league shoot a hundred free throws just before the season starts and whoever is fouled gets that percentage. (So, a 90 percent or so shooter like Danny would be awarded 1.8 points. A Foster like player would get .09 points if fouled.)

Okay, before you flame me, my real proposal is simply speeding up the free throw shooting, particularly the first free throw (in doing tivo, I've noticed the second free throw happens pretty quickly.)

I'm thinking, the refs could make it a point to get the ball to the line very quickly. The shooter then gets, say, eight seconds to shoot. If the refs get the ball to the line quickly, it could be the difference of, say, 15 seconds rather than 30 seconds. Half the amount of time.

I think it would make the NBA a lot easier to watch.

Edit: You know, they did something similar when they eliminated a jump ball at the beginning of the 2,3, and 4th quarter. And college does or did that arrow thing. And, way back, they used to do a jump ball after EVERY basket. So fiddling with the free throw shooting issue may not be as radical as we think.

01-12-2011, 07:53 PM
I don't think it is a big deal.

01-12-2011, 07:54 PM
I like the idea, God knows I wish baseball could something similar. I think the tough part would be how to best enforce the rule

Could you even imagine if it decided a NBA Finals game 7?

01-12-2011, 08:27 PM
I don't think the free throw process is broken, it's the flopping that is a problem.

01-12-2011, 09:37 PM
so how about we speed up baseball in the process as well as football if basketball will be sped up. :D

01-12-2011, 09:44 PM
I don't think there should be fouls.

But if there are...and the free throws need to speed up...I'm just glad we don't have Jalen anymore.