NBA implements flopping penalty, awards second coach’s challenge, Plus Points of Emphasis!

[JayBirdHawk]

Defining a flop

As McCutchen explained, the referees have come up with an easy-to-remember acronym to help all involved understand the way flops should be regulated: S.T.E.M.

Secondary … Theatrical … Exaggerated … Movements.

To put it more plainly, reactions to contact that are secondary/theatrical/exaggerated movements will be identified as flops.

The “secondary” aspect was highlighted with a video clip of Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert, who threw his body back long after absorbing contact in the paint. The Miami Heat’s Kyle Lowry was featured in a clip that qualified as “theatrical,” as he took a hit on the sideline from Smart and threw himself over the nearby scorer’s table and nearly into the stands (interestingly, this play also illustrated that there can be a flop call on a defender on plays where an offensive foul is called as well).

“If all Kyle does is go down there, then the contact and the reaction to it would be aligned,” McCutchen said.

In terms of “exaggeration,” McCutchen shared three identifiers of flops.

• Considerable distance traveled by flopping player
• Excessive flailing of limbs (e.g., “double arm circles”)
• Potential to have injured another player as a result of having flopped

“The only thing that’s changed is that there’s a very small percentage of these … that we’re now going to penalize,” McCutchen said. “We’re doing a good job of non-calling these now. All we’re adding is a layer at the top (where) we really want to get rid of these overt actions.”

Here are a few more details about the flopping rules …

• If a flopping call is missed in a game but discovered afterward, then the offending player will be fined $2,000.
• The non-unsportsmanlike technical foul that comes from a flopping call doesn’t count toward a player’s possible ejection (it takes two unsportsmanlike technicals to be ejected).
• If flopping is called on the same play where another player is called for an unsportsmanlike technical, then the two technicals still offset one another (despite the flopping call being non-unsportsmanlike).

 

 

Second coach’s challenge added

In the other major rule change for the upcoming season, coaches can earn a second video-replay challenge if they are successful with their first.

In this scenario, McCutchen said a coach who successfully challenges an official’s call earns another challenge and retains his timeout. If he uses that second challenge, he loses a timeout, regardless of the success of the challenge.

McCutchen also said offensive players would not be able to draw “rip through” fouls against defenders if they are not attempting to make a play toward the rim.

NBA implements flopping penalty, awards second coach’s challenge - The Athletic

 

[kg01]

Like everything else in the Sliver era, the flopping rule is poorly explained, reactionary, and will ultimately prove to be bad for the game.

The only thing he's ever done right is get rid of Sterling.  And it can be quite successfully argued even that was a failure considering all he did was put billions in that man's pockets. 

[thecampster]

I do like the change to the rip through rule where you can't just swing your arms/the ball. You have to include a move toward the basket for the rip-through to count as a foul.

[macdaddy]

These are decent changes.  I'd still rather there be a replay official that just reviews for flops while the game continues.  Then awards a technical (no free throw) in game if it's deemed a flop.  doesn't change the game call or interrupt play but does get that player a technical that would count toward ejection.  That would stop the stupid flops i think. 

[JayBirdHawk]

14 minutes ago, thecampster said:

I do like the change to the rip through rule where you can't just swing your arms/the ball. You have to include a move toward the basket for the rip-through to count as a foul.

They had a rip through rule before, then slowly it went away.

[AHF]

With these types of rule changes, it matters more how it is implemented than what is on the page.  (Think about the traveling rules).  So I'm firmly in wait and see mode to see how they implement and whether to maintain enforcement around these items.

I do like the additional challenge for coaches as I don't like teams being punished for trying to get a level playing field.

[macdaddy]

So they can call a flop even if it's an offensive foul which means i guess the offensive team gets one free throw but still loses the ball.  But if it's a flop and not an offensive foul then i guess it's by default a defensive foul on the flopper?  Or is it not a foul and basically it's just a like a defensive 3 second call. 

[JeffS17]

7 minutes ago, AHF said:

With these types of rule changes, it matters more how it is implemented than what is on the page.  (Think about the traveling rules).  So I'm firmly in wait and see mode to see how they implement and whether to maintain enforcement around these items.

I do like the additional challenge for coaches as I don't like teams being punished for trying to get a level playing field.

Agreed.  These changes tend to tighten things up for the first 5-10 games and then they just relax on it all.  Same thing with calling carrys-- basically ruined Jordan Pooles season (lol) when they called carrys for like 20 games and then before you know it everyone is egregiously carrying again anyways.  Same thing for their flop fines that never materialized into anything.  And the most egregious one of all is the claim they were not going to reward players for non-basketball moves, yet 5x a game I see ball handlers pretend like their running backs in the lane diving into dudes and getting favorable whistles.

[Spud2nique]

22 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

They had a rip through rule before, then slowly it went away.

The KD rule. That is annoying. Any play that involves letting the offense “off the hook” I am against. Look, it’s already hard enough to play D and more than 80% of the league stinks at it, so why reward the offense even more when it’s already flourishing but adding snake like rip through moves is too much.

 

I already had a slight problem with the Chris Mullin “get the defender off his feet then lean in on the jump shot” foul call of 1987 but this is taking it too far.

REWARD THE D and maybe then some kids will wanna play it moving forward. 

[macdaddy]

Just now, Spud2nique said:

The KD rule. That is annoying. Any play that involves letting the offense “off the hook” I am against. Look, it’s already hard enough to play D and more than 80% of the league stinks at it, so why reward the offense even more when it’s already flourishing but adding snake like rip through moves is too much.

 

I already had a slight problem with the Chris Mullin “get the defender off his feet then lean in on the jump shot” foul call of 1987 but this is taking it too far.

REWARD THE D and maybe then some kids will wanna play it moving forward. 

rip through is dumb anyway.  Offensive player is initiating contact.  it'd be the same as just running over the defender's leg and expecting a tripping call.  Of course that happens a lot too.

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, macdaddy said:

rip through is dumb anyway.  Offensive player is initiating contact.  it'd be the same as just running over the defender's leg and expecting a tripping call.  Of course that happens a lot too.

Rip through was KD, flopping new age was Devin Harris in 06ish, big men charges was don’t call me lyasova. Licking the back of your shoes was Nash. Throwing chalk up in the air was Mike KG Lebron.. being drama queens was Harden Kyrie KD Ben Simm.. 

[JayBirdHawk]

2 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

Rip through was KD, flopping new age was Devin Harris in 06ish, big men charges was don’t call me lyasova. Licking the back of your shoes was Nash. Throwing chalk up in the air was Mike KG Lebron.. being drama queens was Harden Kyrie KD Ben Simm.. 

The rip thru was a CP3 special.

[ABH]

After 2 weeks they will be gone

[JayBirdHawk]

OO needs a crash course in proper screen setting! 

 

 

[AHF]

12 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

OO needs a crash course in proper screen setting! 

 

 

So do the NBA refs.  They seem to think that some teams are allowed to make the moving screen part of their normal offense.

[macdaddy]

6 minutes ago, AHF said:

So do the NBA refs.  They seem to think that some teams are allowed to make the moving screen part of their normal offense.

Isn't this the truth.  One of the things that's kept Horford a starter.