The text of my Saturday column runs below.
This is about entertainment value, moral obligation and the Hack-a-Shaq.
Well-meaning, powerful people want to outlaw the Hack-a-Shaq in the NBA — intentionally fouling a horrendous free-throw shooter because he probably will miss one or both of the 15-foot set shots from the charity stripe.
“To me, it’s a dumb rule,” said Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr before Game 3 of the NBA Finals. “It takes away from the flow of the game.”
Like Kerr, Cleveland Cavaliers’ head coach David Blatt dislikes the Hack-a-Shaq, although both coaches freely used the tactic during the playoffs.