Nikola Jokic isn’t one of those names that comes from among the NBA’s underdogs, but his physicality puts him in many lineups. Jokic is averaging 6.3 free throws per game and is 10th in the league in free throws made this season.
On Christmas Day, Jokic scored 18 against the Warriors and Steve Kerr was furious — not at these refs specifically, but at how the pendulum has swung in favor of angry players in today’s NBA.
"If I were a fan, I wouldn't have wanted to watch the second half of that game. It was disgusting."
Steve Kerr believes the NBA has legislated defense out of the game pic.twitter.com/KdSwQByhTh
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 25, 2023
“I have no problem with the executives. We have good employees on our board,” Kerr told reporters in Denver. “I have a problem with the way we take defense out of the game. That’s what we do in the NBA. The way we teach leaders, we let the players do BS.” ‘bad way.
“If I were a fan, I wouldn’t want to watch the second half of the game. It’s disgusting. It’s just training the refs in calls. But the refs have to make those calls. ‘Cause that’s the way they’re taught.
“The players in this league are really smart. Over the last decade or so, they’ve gotten smarter. And we’ve made players stronger, and they’re taking full advantage.” Very. And look, it’s disgusting.”
Kerr – who played in the 1990s when more flesh was exposed – is far from the first to complain, even if he takes little personal responsibility (his team lost when Jokic was impossible to stop). The Warriors outrebounded the Nuggets in free throws made 22 to 32 for the game, although it should be noted that for the season the Warriors are 10th in the league in assists per game (23.8) and the Nuggets are 25th (20.7). ,
Care isn’t bad that many players – James Harden in Houston (young with the Clippers), Trae Young, Luka Doncic – play the game as it is, trying to take the bad things out of it. The NBA interpreted a rule a few seasons ago that a player should not call a foul (or not call a foul) on a “non-basketball move”, but those who are good at portraying bad things in sports have come up with a Found a way to exaggerate. Basketball is played to represent bad things. There’s a little selling and calling involved when it’s mentioned, and Jokic does that on Christmas.
How the NBA chooses to play its game will become clear to players this summer as we make the rapid transition from the NBA Finals to the Paris Olympics (in a little more than a month), giving FIBA, the international body that oversees defense, more opportunities to Will meet. This is a paradigm shift in terms of foul hunting and defensive approach for NBA players on both ends of the court. It usually takes a minute to get used to these.
Would it be better for the NBA to provide more physical protection and play fewer fouls? This is a matter of personal preference, but the league has clearly determined that many players (probably most casual players) prefer the brand and presentation of popular games over the physical fitness they get from the opportunity to defend. The NBA wants him in the game.
Whether it’s time to swing the pendulum back a bit is a matter of debate around the league. Kerr has joined the conversation.
