Players who get the quickest whistle

[CBAreject]

Someone recently mentioned that JJ didn't get many calls last year. I was wondering which players get the quickest whistle in the NBA. Of course, MJ did when he played. I remember that Sprewell got ridiculous calls in that series we played against the Knicks. You know, the series that sent this franchise into a funk?

Here are the questions to discuss:

1) What qualities (physical, behavioral) does a player need to have to get the calls?

2) How important is public perception of that player?

3) How important is public perception of the team (incorporates W/L record and tradition)?

4) Which current NBA players get the most borderline calls?

*Other: Is the team offensive philosophy important? That is, do transition or half-court styles benefit offensive players more over the other style?

Discuss.

[vdunkndunk]

I would guess that right now Kobe, Lebron, D-Wade and AI take some of the most free throws per game.

[CBAreject]

Just a quick note...

Taking a lot of free throws isn't the same as getting a lot of borderline calls. They are related, but they aren't equal.

[vdunkndunk]

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Just a quick note...

Taking a lot of free throws isn't the same as getting a lot of borderline calls. They are related, but they aren't equal.

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That's true, but I think these guys get the benefit of the doubt in almost every circumstance, although of course that's not the only or even the main reason they take so many free throws. But basically if one of those guys gets in the lane and happens to miss the shot he's going to get a foul call.

[Jdawgflow]

The two players that stand out in my mind from last year that got way too many calls IMO were LeBron and DWade. I especially remember how DWade was allowed to take over playoff games last year by driving to the basket and ALWAYS either being allowed to score or being "fouled". It was ridiculous.

[vdunkndunk]

When I went to the Hawks-Cavs game last year, Lebron took 20 free throws by himself and the Hawks as a team took only 22 free throws. Basically that made a close game impossible for us to win, because we weren't allowed to play defense on Lebron. That made me mad; he scored 38 points but it was the most boring 38 you've ever seen.

[Diesel]

David Stern has always felt that "we must protect our stars" and it's no secret that he will use his officiating crews to do that. So when a player starts to make his way to Allstar games on the fans votes.. Stern will tell the refs to look out for that guy.

This includes guys like Carter, Lebron, Wade, Kobe, and Iverson. It's so bad, that they have the whole nation of basketball watching people and broadcasters saying silliness like " A rookie is not going to get that call against a veteran."... Why do you have to have paid some kind of dues to get the refs to make the right calls? This is the reason why pros go into International play and they cry the loudest and the longest at refs because they feel like they are not being treated fairly. The truth is that overseas, you have no prepaid dues... Play the game!

[CBAreject]

I think that's the reason Marvin Williams can be very good. He can get to the basket, and with those long arms, there's a lot of room for contact. The NBA game is all about efficiency--maximizing possessions. Players who can drive to the basket and get fouled will score much more efficiently than those who take jump shots. If you miss the shot and get fouled, you're going to average 1.6 pts on those possessions as an 80% FT shooter. For the shots you make and get fouled, you're going to average 2.8 pts. Getting fouled driving to the basket is far and away the most efficient way to score.

[terrynoonan]

I know Josh Smith gets no calls and picks up every phantom one.

The state of NBA reffing has devolved to an all-time low. It's basically 1/3 pro wrestling, 1/3 figure skating, and 1/3 competition. If that.

You have to look pretty to get a call. If it looks pretty and smooth it's not traveling.

A lot of the older refs have made assumptions about players character and make calls accordingly and there is no new talent coming into the profession. I know refs should primarily stay out of the spotlight but can anyone name one of the new refs? Talent gets noticed. There's no talent. That's why the calls are bad.

[Jdawgflow]

I remember that game, too. It was almost unbelievable how he kept getting call after call. The only reason I didn't put LeBron as first was because he got his calls against the Hawks and DWade got his through the ENTIRE playoffs.

[OGRat]

Could this be why Shaq doesn't get all the calls he used to get? Grant it, he does still get calls, but not like he used to.

[Swatguy]

"Melo also gets a plethora of calls too. The players who are aggresive going to the basket and who is relentless at it gets the most calls. Marvin has the potential to be a 10 time a night foul shooter.

[Jdawgflow]

I agree that guys who are aggressive get more calls. That is fine with me. The problem I have follows the same line of thought that others have said. Some guys just get preferential treatment because they are stars. And in my opinion, DWade gets a much higher percentage of fouls called for him than any other player who is, as you put it,

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aggresive going to the basket and who is relentless at it

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About Melo, I am not sure about how many calls he is "given" compared to those he earns because I have not watched him as much. But I definately agree that he is an aggressive player who is going to get to the line.

And please understand, the only problem I have is when some guys get a free pass when they go into the lane. It is tough enough to play D already. I just think guys should have to earn their free throws by taking a pounding in the lane. The shouldn't be getting "and ones" from getting breathed on by a guy who stands there and prevents a showtime dunk.

[Diesel]

For some reason, Shaq never really fell into Stern's protect my stars category. I guess Shaq's bigness exempted him. Although, they did let Shaq get away with dropping his shoulder and bouldering into people a lot more than they do now?

[thesheedera]

Marvin has always had a knack for getting to the line, luckily for us he also has a knak for knocking them down. Believe it or not, he was second among rookies last season in free throws attempted with 253 (made .747). Of course Paul was just a tad ahead of the pack with 465 (.847).

Here are the total free throw attempt numbers for the top of the list, then the frequency that the player attempted a free throw (minutes/fta)...not a big surprise who the names are at the top for the total fta list:

AI - 829 - 1 FT every 3.747 min

KB - 819 - 1 FT every 4.004 min

LBJ - 814 - 1 FT every 4.128 min

PP - 814 - 1 FT every 3.798 min

DW - 803 - 1 FT every 3.610 min

A long way down the list of total FTs...

JJ - 330 - 1 FT every 10.121 min

MW - 253 - 1 FT every 7.735 min

I would show more Hawks but this is getting tedious. Maybe there's a place someone knows of that has all this worked out already.

BTW, since I mentioned him earlier, Paul shot a free throw every 6.039 minutes.

JJ REALLY needs to step up his aggressiveness in getting to the line.

[HAWKEYE]

JJ REALLY needs to step up his aggressiveness in getting to the line.

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I think we can agree that JJ is very passive when it comes to working the refs or stating his case and thats why he does not and maybe will not get his fair share of calls. I know some people on this board hate the whiners on this team but if its directed to the refs to keep their heads in the game somebodies got to do it. The refs can effectively tune Woody out ranting up and down the sideline but when your captain on the floor doesn't speak up what are you left to do?

[AHF]

I think with JJ it is more about him avoiding contact than not whining to the refs. For example, instead of going strong to the hole where someone is going to send him to the line he likes to use the tear drop shot that avoids contact and is unlikely to draw fouls. He also doesn't really try to do the Reggie Miller pump your guy in the air and jump into him technique that I think would be effective.

[HAWKEYE]

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I think with JJ it is more about him avoiding contact than not whining to the refs. For example, instead of going strong to the hole where someone is going to send him to the line he likes to use the tear drop shot that avoids contact and is unlikely to draw fouls. He also doesn't really try to do the Reggie Miller pump your guy in the air and jump into him technique that I think would be effective.

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No he doesn't have that Reggie Miller- Walt Frazier- Earl "The Pearl" pump move and the tear drop does avoid contact but he was "deserving" of "more" calls with his "present game" that you see on a nightly basis since he has been with the Hawks. Until he played for the Hawks where he has taken his game more inside being our primary option and ball handler he was more of a perimeter player with Phoenix. Teams have ganged up on him thinking if you stop him you stop the team and he has been roughed up, bumped and fouled in the process. Steve Smith has pointed this out, in fact the radio and TV announcers have.