Jump to content

NBA to limit pregame routines to 90 seconds


Real Deal
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Owner
NEW YORK -- The NBA is taking steps to cut down on pregame handshakes and rituals that have become popular with players in recent years. Starting this season, as soon as player introductions are finished, there will be 90 seconds put on the game clock, and teams will be expected to be ready for tipoff after that time.

 

The guideline will eliminate or severely cut down on the routines that players from most teams go through before games, which often include a series of handshakes with their own teammates before greeting opponents. It also could legislate out individual rituals like LeBron James' famous chalk toss, which he abandoned last season during the playoffs, though James said he'll try to get it done in the limited time.

 

"I won't change it, I'll be able to work it in," James said. "We'll figure it out."

 

Over the years, as the elaborate handshakes and other routines have become extended -- for example, Shaquille O'Neal famously created teamwide skits acted out before Phoenix Suns games three seasons ago -- games have routinely taken five minutes or longer to begin after the starting lineups were announced. The NBA is attempting to speed up the start of games.

 

Players have been advised of the initiative during the annual meetings with referees in the preseason as part of the league's "points of emphasis."

 

"There's a 90-second countdown, it is placed on the clock," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said. "At 30 seconds, there's a warning horn and alert by the refs. At the end, teams need to be ready to tip off or face a delay-of-game warning."

 

Two delay-of-game warnings would result in a technical foul.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8515898/nba-puts-pregame-routines-90-second-clock

 

Well, this is pointless, in my opinion. The next thing you know, you'll have three seconds to get to the foul line, to shoot your free throws, after a foul.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This rule is stupid. Dwayne Wade said it best.

 

"There's so many rules, I can't keep up. ... There's no reason to make a big stink. It's their league, it's their rules.

” -- Dwyane Wade

 

So if LeBron wants to do his powder toss, KD wants to play hackeysack and hug his mom, D12 wants to do his pregame dance, 90 seconds really? This is one of the most stupidest rules the NBA has ever came up with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why should you need more than 90 seconds to do some pregame routine (centered around self attention)? Come to play basketball and play basketball.

Do people really take longer than 90 sec as it is? Maybe I'm just used to Kobe being the only one on the lakers that really does shit

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...