Kevin O'Connor

No GM of the year award for O'Connor (Larry Bird recieved that award), but still honored in a different way:



Jazz GM O’Connor named to NBA’s competition committee

The NBA on Wednesday announced the members of the league’s new competition committee, including Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor.

The announcement follows a decision by the league’s board of governors last month to change the committee’s composition. The committee will now include two owners, four general managers, three head coaches and one representative from the NBA Players Association.

Joining O’Connor are fellow GMs Bryan Colangelo (Toronto Raptors), Mitch Kupchak (L.A. *****) and Sam Presti (Oklahoma City); owners Dan Gilbert (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Joe Lacob (Golden State); and coaches Rick Carlisle (Dallas Mavericks), Lionel Hollins (Memphis Grizzlies), and Doc Rivers (Boston Celtics).

The NBPA will designate one of its members to serve on the Committee.

The Competition Committee votes in favor of changing a playing rule or any other competition-related matter, the recommendation will be brought to the Board of Governors for its consideration and vote. The Committee will meet on a regular basis and its first meeting will take place during the Finals.

That's pretty cool.

His first order of business should be to bring back the illegal defense. Get rid of that FN zone defense!

Romoholic wrote:

That's pretty cool.

His first order of business should be to bring back the illegal defense. Get rid of that FN zone defense!

That brings up a different question: what rule change would you like to see?

I think that the league should go back after games & fine players for horrible flops. I'm talking about the kind where they launch themselves backward after a small bump, or when they flail to the ground when the replay clearly shows they weren't even touched.

I'd also like to see the "restricted zone" removed. If a guy is there, you shouldn't be able to jump into him, no matter where he is standing. However, the idea of running under a player right as he gathers himself to jump toward the basket & being able to get a call just cause your standing outside of a stupid half circle is also rediculous IMO.

Oh, not to mention that a step & then a hop is traveling no matter what level of basketball you're playing as far as I know.

They officially changed that travelling rule in the NBA before this season, giving two steps after the ball is gathered. So now by rule a step and a hop is actually not a travel in the NBA.

I actually like that the NBA did away with Illegal Defense, and I'm nuetral on the charge circle.

I like the idea of post game penalties for flopping. I've wondered how you would enforce anti-flopping in games, and I just don't think you can do it. But having a group of officials go back and review the game after makes a lot of sense. I would maybe just assess technical fouls rather than fining each instance though. That would count against the total # of technicals a player has on the season and if they get to many they start getting suspended without pay.

I think the change I would like to see most is to go back to the old way of calling illegal screens. Now setting a screen in the NBA is more like downfield blocking in football than the basketball tradition of stationary obstruction. When refs actually do call a moving screen now the players are always like "what? we've been doing 10 times worse than that all game, and you call that? now?" and they've got a point. I think it has aggravated the flopping problem and made play more sloppy.

TheMagnus wrote:

They officially changed that travelling rule in the NBA before this season, giving two steps after the ball is gathered. So now by rule a step and a hop is actually not a travel in the NBA.

I think the change I would like to see most is to go back to the old way of calling illegal screens. Now setting a screen in the NBA is more like downfield blocking in football than the basketball tradition of stationary obstruction. When refs actually do call a moving screen now the players are always like "what? we've been doing 10 times worse than that all game, and you call that? now?" and they've got a point. I think it has aggravated the flopping problem and made play more sloppy.

Thanks for the clarification on the traveling. Traveling will always be allowed to a certain degree, so I guess it's good they changed the rule.

Illegal screens eh? Like the horrible screen KG set at the end of the game with his forearms extended while he was moving towards the Sixers player in game 2 of that series? That one was so bad that it might have been a penatly in football, and he (along with numerous media outlets) questioned the validity of the call.

Granted, we haven't played any games this year yet, so I guess things COULD pan out for them, but man, for those of you (CC!) that rip on KOC all time, and dont think he's one of the best, check out what Cleveland has done:

They now have Team #1 – Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Dion Waiters. They could of had #2 Kyrie Irving, Jonas Valancious, and Thomas Robinson. Wow!

TheMagnus wrote:

They officially changed that travelling rule in the NBA before this season, giving two steps after the ball is gathered. So now by rule a step and a hop is actually not a travel in the NBA.

I actually like that the NBA did away with Illegal Defense, and I'm nuetral on the charge circle.

I like the idea of post game penalties for flopping. I've wondered how you would enforce anti-flopping in games, and I just don't think you can do it. But having a group of officials go back and review the game after makes a lot of sense. I would maybe just assess technical fouls rather than fining each instance though. That would count against the total # of technicals a player has on the season and if they get to many they start getting suspended without pay.

I think the change I would like to see most is to go back to the old way of calling illegal screens. Now setting a screen in the NBA is more like downfield blocking in football than the basketball tradition of stationary obstruction. When refs actually do call a moving screen now the players are always like "what? we've been doing 10 times worse than that all game, and you call that? now?" and they've got a point. I think it has aggravated the flopping problem and made play more sloppy.

KG is the worst. He sticks out an elbow ever so slightly and moves his hips on them. I am not sure if he has set a legal screen since he came to Boston.

I want to see 2 things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hkQx5Dk8jA this is the first one. This is a flagrant? I do not understand what Hansbrough did wrong here. Yes, he fouled Wade. However, he got ball up top. What is Hansbrough supposed to do? Stop his arm mid flight after hitting the ball? This was in the playoffs also. I absolutely hate how soft the game is today. The Bad Boy Pistons would not last 5 minutes in today's game. The Knicks with Ewing, but mainly Oakley Mason and Starks might last 10 minutes. I like physical basketball. I think think that starts rivalries. I love physical play. I love toughness. Here is something I wrote up during this series for the website I write for. http://crankuptheheat.net/the-beginning-of-a-rivalry/

The other thing goes along with physical play. I would like to see hand checking back. The other thing I really hate about today's game is how there are so few good post players. I think this makes it harder for perimeter players, and maybe, just maybe this helps out post players. I guess it is not a rule change I want to see, but a change going back old school when post play ruled.

Romoholic wrote:

That's pretty cool.

His first order of business should be to bring back the illegal defense. Get rid of that FN zone defense!

You're kidding, right? How did I miss this?

Teams hardly ever play zone and if they do, so what? If you can't make a shot, lose. (It also allows non-Pippens to play effective defense and that's a good thing. If we had more players with actual basketball-playing-skills as opposed to "lateral quickness but can't dribble or shoot" the game would be better.) Also, what ever happened to fast break basketball? If the other team's in a zone, run 'em out of it!

That's how they played "back in the day" hoisting up 100 shots/game and scoring in the 120s. Wasn't till the Knicks and Pistons started mucking things up that everybody went for as few possessions as possible.

And the illegal defense rules led to the ugliest basketball I've ever seen...iso-ball with your worst offensive player 40 feet from the basket. Ugh. (at least the Jazz ran a beautiful 4-on-4 offense)

No, no way do I want the old "mandatory man-on-man" back. Too many artificial rules trying to make the game "exciting" for the "casual fan". Screw the casual fan. That's what the hand check rule was designed to do and it sucks. Why doesn't Stern just make the game a big slam dunk competition?? That seems to excite the "casual fan".

As for flopping, start calling charges when the offensive player initiates contact and nobody will flop.

Trollificus wrote:

Romoholic wrote:

That's pretty cool.

His first order of business should be to bring back the illegal defense. Get rid of that FN zone defense!

You're kidding, right? How did I miss this?

Teams hardly ever play zone and if they do, so what? If you can't make a shot, lose. (It also allows non-Pippens to play effective defense and that's a good thing. If we had more players with actual basketball-playing-skills as opposed to "lateral quickness but can't dribble or shoot" the game would be better.) Also, what ever happened to fast break basketball? If the other team's in a zone, run 'em out of it!

That's how they played "back in the day" hoisting up 100 shots/game and scoring in the 120s. Wasn't till the Knicks and Pistons started mucking things up that everybody went for as few possessions as possible.



And the illegal defense rules led to the ugliest basketball I've ever seen...iso-ball with your worst offensive player 40 feet from the basket. Ugh. (at least the Jazz ran a beautiful 4-on-4 offense)

No, no way do I want the old "mandatory man-on-man" back. Too many artificial rules trying to make the game "exciting" for the "casual fan". Screw the casual fan. That's what the hand check rule was designed to do and it sucks. Why doesn't Stern just make the game a big slam dunk competition?? That seems to excite the "casual fan".

As for flopping, start calling charges when the offensive player initiates contact and nobody will flop.

My problem with having no illegal defense is it has made the 3 point shot too important. That has made basket ball really ugly. Way too often you see a guy caught in no mans land where he isn't close enough to double a post player but too far in to get back and contest the 3 point shot. It has also filled the league with these specialist player that suck at everything besides shooting 3s. There is a reason three point shooting has become such a big part of the game now.

The Jazz have never been an iso heavy team and they were one of the dominating teams before the zone defense. The pick and roll was much more effective before they got rid of the illegal D.

When played correctly the man to man defense is much more effective at stopping iso play than zone.
In man to man defense your man should never be less then to passes away from the ball in order for you to sag in and help. Also in man to man you are to focus on your guy instead of focusing on 2-3 guys running into your zone.

Also when you play man you are more effective at rebounding. You box out YOUR guy instead of having to decide on the fly which of the 2-3 guys going for the board you have to box out.

Man-to-man defense is a much more aggressive style defense. You can come out farther on the ball and apply pressure, while having weak side defenders sag in the lane and help out. By changing the matchups, you can
keep your best defender on the other teams best offensive player. In a zone defense, you can apply pressure, but you have to make sure the defensive set is not expanded too far. If it is, you can leave large lanes open
to the basket. This can result in easy drives to the basket for easy lay-ups. You can assign a player or 2 to pressure the ball, but this either puts a lot of pressure on them or their teammates that are left in the zone. Many times I seen teams have the 2 guards chasing the ball on defense, while the forwards and center stand in the lane doing nothing.

Having said all of that. The biggest thing that should be changed is the Refs. Make them call the damn game the same for "super stars" as they do for everyone else.

Romoholic wrote:

Having said all of that. The biggest thing that should be changed is the Refs. Make them call the damn game the same for "super stars" as they do for everyone else.

A agree, I don't mind the game being called loose or tight, but would like to see every player get the same calls.

ptaz66 wrote:

Romoholic wrote:

Having said all of that. The biggest thing that should be changed is the Refs. Make them call the damn game the same for "super stars" as they do for everyone else.

A agree, I don't mind the game being called loose or tight, but would like to see every player get the same calls.

It would be a lot easier to accept all those "the refs have a tough job" and "the refs are human, they're going to make mistakes" comments if they started from a baseline of TRYING to "get every call right, every game". But they DON'T.

Benefits of the refs actually "doing the right thing" instead of trying to help the league sell shoes would be to make the job easier:

a) Calling charging when the offensive player deliberately initiates contact, regardless of position and immobility, would reduce, if not eliminate, anticipatory flopping.

b) Calling a tech for flopping should include also shooter flopping (flailing arms or legs to try to draw contact after the shot) and rebound flopping (rebounder sees ball going over his head, yells and lurches forward to draw a pushing foul). If these behaviors were eliminated, game would be easier to call.

c) If refs want to ignore the rules regarding palming the ball, 4-step drives and "switch-pivot-foot, step, hop, land, spin and then jump" moves fine, but don't try to base the call on aesthetics or gracefulness. Less subjectivity=Good.

d) Maybe try and utilize some kind of rules regarding blocking. You know. like what used to be used back when the players used to "set screens". NBA blocking rules are now considerably more lax than those in the NFL, and even more inconsistently enforced.

e) As mentioned, FORGET the status of the players involved when making calls. The "stars" will still be stars without th assistance of the refs.

f) Screw the 'casual fan'. Never make a call just to hear the crowd go crazy.

All of these are part of TRYING to get every call right, every game, instead of just SAYING that's what you are doing and daring people to believe their own eyes. It would be so obvious they were trying to get the calls right, I could even accept it when they screwed up.

Of course, none of that "I want a pony this year, Santa!" wishful thinking takes into account Stern's ability and willingness to look 40 million people in the eye and lie through his lawyer-teeth, OR the fact that for Stern, the league exists to generate $$$$ for his clients (the owners), not to present fairly officiated athletic contests.

Nice to dream, though.