Big News: Instant Replay, Griz+Wolves to East Conf

[sturt]

Instant replay expected to be implemented next season

By CHRIS SHERIDAN

AP Basketball Writer

June 11, 2002

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- If the NBA uses instant replay next season to review last-second shots, the rules would be different from the NFL's.

There would be no challenges from the coaches, no lengthy stoppages in play.

The new rules would deal solely with instances in which there is a question of whether a shot was released before time expired at the end of a quarter. In those cases, the referees also would be able to review whether a player had his foot on the 3-point line.

``I think there's an overwhelming consensus, perhaps even unanimous ... that we should institute next season an instant replay for last-second shots,'' deputy commissioner Russ Granik said Tuesday at the commissioner's annual NBA Finals news conference.

Details of a proposed replay rule were discussed last week at a meeting of the league's competition committee. The change is expected to be approved by the league's Board of Governors in July.

The debate over using instant replay was heightened during this year's playoffs as a flurry of disputed shots were either counted -- or waved off -- incorrectly.

In the first round, a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer by Charlotte's Baron Davis was disallowed against Orlando even though it clearly was released in time.

In the Nets-Pacers series, Reggie Miller forced overtime in Game 5 with a shot that left his hand after the clock reached 0.0 seconds.

In Game 4 of the Kings-Lakers series, a 30-footer by Samaki Walker to end the first half was allowed even though it left his hand too late.

``I think we've finally come to the conclusion that you're not really asking a referee to make that call, good or bad. You're just asking him to guess and hope that he guesses right,'' Granik said. ``So if instant replay can help in that, then we ought to be using it.''

Granik and commissioner David Stern also said:

-- The Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves have asked to move to the Eastern Conference, for travel reasons rather than competitive ones, if the league decides to realign in 2003-04 and move the New Orleans Hornets to the West.

-- Exhibition games could be held in China, Japan, Mexico and/or Europe in 2003 after a two-year hiatus.

-- Stern wants to see how various issues play out before deciding whether to place an expansion team in Charlotte or allow a current team to relocate there.

-- Finals games will tip-off around 8:30 p.m. during the first two years of the new six-year television contract with ABC -- about 45 minutes earlier than the current starting time.

-- The league will proceed slowly in examining whether expansion into Europe by the end of a decade makes economic sense.

-- The salary cap is expected to remain $42.5 million next season, or decrease slightly.

Stern and Granik both smiled broadly at a question on whether Shaquille O'Neal's dominance needs somehow to be curtailed.

``I enjoy watching him play. I'd say when Michael (Jordan) was in his prime, there was a notion that there was nothing you could do about him, either,'' Stern said.

``I did say to one owner: 'Perhaps we would consider a sixth-man rule' so that all the teams playing the Lakers could have six men on the court as long as Shaquille is in,'' Stern joked.