Boti Nagy | Offensive goal tending makes no sense

Offensive goal tending makes no sense

IT IS hard to believe what an incredibly stupid rule offensive goal tending or offensive basket-interference is, especially when it flies in the face of the NBA's main goal - spectacular entertainment.

If a player can get up there and tip a ball in - or out for that matter - AFTER it has bounced on the rim, then more power to him. Or her.

If it has hit the ring, then it no longer is on its downward path so all bets should be off.

For a league which turns a blind eye to travels, carrying the ball and tends to call travels on marquee players rather than give them an offensive foul, offensive basket interference is just plain ridiculous.

That said, Clippers centre DeAndre "Can Dunk But Can't Shoot a Free Throw" Jordan knows the rule and should have left Blake Griffin's bouncing shot alone in the dying seconds of today's pivotal Game 5 of the LA-San Antonio series.

He tapped it in, the refs ruled it illegal and the Spurs went home to San Antonio nursing a 3-2 series lead, winning 111-107.

Ageless Tim Duncan scored 12 of his 21 points in the second half but it was his block on Griffin inside the final minute which was one of the game's big plays.

Some heads-up play by Boris Diaw pushed the Spurs to their biggest lead at 103-96 but that lead was eaten up by a 7-1 run as Clippers fans found voice at Staples Center.

They had gone quiet - apart from derision toward the Spurs - during the third quarter when San Antonio continually fouled Jordan to take his team right out of its rhythm.

Jordan, who had a monster slam dunk off a Chris Paul lob in the first quarter and an even bigger one off a Griffin lob in the last, was a pathetic 7-of-16 from the stripe, validating the Spurs' hack-a-Jordan tactic.

It is an ugly tactic but even uglier is the fact millionaires such as Jordan and Dwight Howard don't shoot a thousand free throws a day for a week.

Practice DOES improve you - shock! Horror!

Talking about rule changes to accommodate millionaires clearly too rich to care about putting in the extra time is about the last straw in giving in to bad behaviour.

Yes, Shaq and Wilt also were bad free throw shooters because to men that size, their larger hands on a basketball can feel like the average person's palm on a nerf ball. I get it. Yes, it is hard for a giant to shoot as well as a Stephen Curry.

But there are a myriad ways to skin a cat and other ways to shoot a free throw. Just ask Rick Barry. (Sorry if you don't get the reference.)

Not practising - not improving - reflects the fact overpaying sportspeople simply leads to laziness. It also begs the question, is the player a winner?

Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points and Patty Mills had 13 on a perfect 4-of-4 threes, with a bonus "and-one" after Austin Rivers fouled him.

Griffin had 30 points and 14 rebounds, but ejected two free throws with 39.9 seconds to play.

Change the rules?

Yes. Throw out offensive goal tending.

In Houston, the Rockets eliminated Dallas 103-94, completing a 4-1 series success and advancing to the Western Conference semi finals for the first time since Yao Ming was a local fixture.

James Harden scored 28 points and Terrence Jones had 10 of his 15 in the fourth quarter.

Dwight Howard had 18 points and 19 rebounds and now has some time to start working on his free throw shooting technqiue.

Yeah. Right.

Monta Ellis led Dallas with 25 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 22.

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