Chris Paul may have solved the puzzle about what to do with the Hack-A-Shaq strategy.
All the backlash over the news that the NBA will consider legislation to dissuade the strategy of "unintentionally" grabbing, hacking or jumping on the backs of poor free-throw shooters is all well and good, but the naysayers' proposed solution --- teach the poor free-throw shooters to improve --- ain't happening.
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Shaquille O'Neal proved that during his sure-to-be Hall of Fame career. The big man can't be faulted for lack of effort to improve. He just had a mental block during games.
But Paul created a new defense for poor shooters, as Uproxx.com reported. During the Clippers' overtime loss to the Celtics earlier this week, Boston was in Hack-A-DeAndre mode as Jonas Jerebko was dispatched to foul the Los Angeles big man DeAndre Jordan with just more than two minutes remaining in the extra session.
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Jordan was trailing Paul in the Clippers backcourt as Paul was dribbling upcourt. Paul spotted Jerebko running toward Jordan, and the savvy point guard stepped in front of Jerebko's path.
Jerebko couldn't stop himself and ran into Paul, putting the Clippers veteran on the free-throw line, rather than Jordan.
The only chink in the Chris Paul solution was that he missed one of his two free throws. The Celtics' Evan Turner hit a jumper that tied the game, and Boston eventually outlasted Los Angeles for the victory.
"The Point God won the battle, basically, but the Celtics won the war," Uproxx reported. "Either way, we won't forget his typically sly way to avoid the specter of Jordan free throws down the stretch of a close game -- and future opponents shouldn't, either."
What is exciting is the possibilities stemming from this strategy. Will teams for a wall around their poor free-throw shooters from now on to prevent the Hack-A-Shaq strategy?
Had the Lakers thought to protect O'Neal that way, Kobe Bryant might be the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
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