James Harden snapped for a huge triple-double in the Houston Rockets game against the Detroit Pistons but it didn’t matter, the Detroit Pistons came out with the win. Somehow, the Pistons beat the Rockets 123-114 while managing to have their star big man, Andre Drummond, miss an NBA record 23 free throws.
No really, he did. The Rockets decided to foul Drummond as much as they could. They used a strategy that they often fall victim to, the ‘Hack-A’ technique. It’s when one team intentionally fouls their opponents worst free throw shooter in an attempt to end their opponents current possession without any points and no time taken off the clock. Over the last year, it has become a near epidemic with teams fouling guys like DeAndre Jordan, Dwight Howard, Clint Capela and Drummond. Of course the man who made it famous many years ago, Shaquille O’Neal was where the nickname ‘Hack-a-Shaq’ originated from but this strategy has now hit a new low.
To start the second half of the Rockets and Pistons game, interim Houston head coach J.B. Bickerstaff sent out seldom played wing K.J. McDaniels to intentionally foul Drummond five times while only taking eight seconds off the game clock. No, seriously. It actually happened.
So all in total, Andre Drummond went to the line 36 times on the night, hit only 13 free throws and set an NBA record but his team got the win. Was this embarrassing moment in McDaniels career worth it? I don’t think so and K.J. is a great player who deserves better than just being a foul sacrifice. This is definetely the worst part about the NBA game today and something needs to be done. No matter how many people think ‘these guys just have to make their free throws’ some people just can’t do it. It might be time to change the rules.
K.J. McDaniels was on the court for a total of 50 seconds, only to come right out of the game. It was only McDaniels 11th game played this season.
