Is the NBA finally ready to rethink its policy towards intentional fouling?<br />During his annual State of the Union address from All-Star Weekend, commissioner Adam Silver told reporters on Saturday that the league may change its so-called “Hack-a-Shaq” rules this summer after years of debates.<br />Citing a significant uptick in intentional fouling during the 2015–16 season, Silver said that he personally was rethinking the issue.<br />“Up to the All-Star break this season, we’re seeing the Hack-a-Shaq strategy used at roughly a five and a half times greater rate than it was used last season,” Silver noted.<br />“So to the extent that the data is coming in, it’s showing there is a clear trend and that clearly our coaches who are smart and using very complex analytics believe it is benefiting them.”<br />Silver said that “no clear consensus” has formed as to what the new rule would look like and that the rules wouldn’t change this season.
