HACK-A-HOWARD DELUXE
We had insanely great seats for the Magic @ Warriors yesterday (5th row behind the basket). Mark Jackson took the Haq to a whole new level, but the Magic ended up winning by a pack of hot-dog buns anyway. Dwight went 21-39 from the line (54%), winding up with 45 points and a cool 23 rebounds. Along the way he broke Wilt's record for most free-throws taken in a game (was 34). And he tied for the third-most free-throws missed in a game with 18. Wilt had games where he missed 18, 19, and an unholy 22.
Strangely, we went to the same Orlando-in-Oakland matchup last year, and that was a record-book rewriting affair as well, though a much more delirious one: the teams set a new max for combined 3-pointers made in a game with 36. It felt like there were fifteen buzzer-beaters. Golden State won 123-120 in OT.
The game this year lacked that sense of drama. With all the fouling it was not, needless to say, high-intensity basketball. But at some point during the third quarter it became clear we were yet again at a historically interesting game. There's something to be said for that. Plus, while sitting in the stands I thought of a great umbrella term to describe all varieties of intentional fouling:
HACKNIQUES.
The word "hackniques" covers the entire gamut of standard-issue hacking schemes: Hack-a-Shaq, Maul-a-Wallace*, Smite-a-Dwight, Wham-a-Dampier, and Bruise-a-Bruce. But it also covers isolated deployments of intentional fouling to extend the game when you're down; avoid a possible three-point attempt when you're up; stop easy baskets; express frustration; or issue a warning to your opponents. What flavors! Pretty soon every coaching staff is going to need a hackniques specialist. I can't wait.
*It's too bad CP3 is such a great shooter. Maul-a-Paul has a nice ring to it.