They foul like crazy all over the place because they know the refs won’t/can’t call them all. As the game goes on the refs let more and more slide. At least that’s what i’ve noticed.

if you want to play on the floor you have to play tentatively. It just is self preservation. And no it shouldnt be that way. In a perfect world you play as hard as you can all the time and when you go out its not a let down. but the game is played by humans and egos do have their limits.

brandon has got stuck a few times complaining letting his man score. i almost wished nate would pull him when he does that.

the game has also devolved into trying to draw fouls as opposed to trying to score.

but my most hated rule is jumping into a man to draw a call. I think that is an offensive foul. I know we have come to accept the reggie miller rule, but its something that should be reversed in my opinion.

I was always taught that when playing defense your body extended from your hands up to the ceiling. If you moved your hands forward you could enter another players space and draw a foul. If you kept your hands straight up and the player jumped into you that was a foul on them or a no call (refs sometimes still call this right) and if you jumped in the air (straight up) then the place on the ground under your feet thru your body to the ceiling is your space. If you jump straight up and put your hands straight up and a man jumps into your legs or body, that is a foul on them.

they’re still wet behind the ears when they’re “bearhugging” and playing stupid becuase of a couple silly fouls. When they turn the corner like Joel has and understand exactly what is expected of them that they finally get it. it’s not about being punked, its not about getting an “in his face” jam. it’s about winning the game and doing everything you can to stay in the game and being that extra someone that puts the cream on the cake.

AND it’s them unsure of nates reaction. sooner than later they’ll see him as a co worker, and not so much as the “sarg” for some it’s been easier to shake, brandon, joel, …shoot I doubt blake has ever had “it” but they’ll shed their fear of coach soon enough.

but that’s what I think.

just young and dumb really.

and about them ref’s….they do what they do, and it’s never really mattered as long as our guys keep thier focus and can play through, and rise above.

right?

You want to be as physical as possible without fouling…..that’s what the mantra is anyway. I question it though. Bumping and grinding will wear down the opponent, true, but it also wears you down. I think your subs who are only going to have limited minutes and don’t care about fouls should be bangers that smash around and pick up fouls and wear down the opponent.

Your starters should be playing more solid defense without a lot of contact. You don’t want Roy/LMA getting tired.

As far as offense goes, you’re just trying to score. Inside, outside, whatever they’re giving you. If they’re sagging back then bury them with threes. If they’re playing a tight man-to-man then let LMA and Broy kill em.

Yes.

Can you play this way in the NBA? No.

As far as Brandon goes, it’s a sad truth that he’s discovered. Just like he said, he sees guys like LeBron, Kobe, CP3, Wade, etc in the refs ears from the tipoff, sometimes even before. And those guys get any call they want when they attack the basket. So now Brandon thinks two things: 1—attack the basket and 2—make sure the refs know it when I get fouled. This is also why you here him yell when he drives now. Unfortunately, there seems to be a double standard in officiating, mostly on the offensive end. Big stars can expect anything to be called why most other players can expect nothing to be called.

On the defensive end, I think there’s a fine line between playing like nothing will be called and playing like everything will be called. And the problem is that there is no way to tell what the ref will and will not call. One time a foul is a foul and sometimes a foul isn’t a foul. A player can never know so of course they’ll naturally play more tentatively, not wanting to get in foul trouble, especially when playing against a big star.

Bottom line is that the NBA officiating is far too inconsistent, unpredictable, uneven, and borderline incompetent in some cases. So you probably could play like nothing will be called. But then you’re probably going to foul out. Unless the refs decide to let the teams play. But who knows when that will be and whether or not it will change over the course of the game.