It is the biggest issue in the NBA right now. Flopping. The technical definition of flopping is “an intentional fall by a player after little or no physical contact by an opposing player in order to draw a personal foul call by an official against the opponent.” Flopping is a strategic part of basketball that gives tea an edge on their opponent. Teams only seem to have a problem with it when the other team is getting away with it. Every team has done it, but never wants to admit to it. Many players have made a career out of flopping and causing the other team to get into foul trouble. Yes, I am talking to you Shane Battier and Derek Fisher!
Lebron James is one of the top players in the NBA and his opinion carries some weight. Lebron James recently came out in support of flopping. “Some guys have been doing it for years, just trying to get an advantage,” James said. “Any way you can get an advantage over the opponent to help your team win, so be it.” While James is a supporter of flopping, he has vehemently denied that he uses it in his game. We all know this is far from true, but if he admitted to it, he would get called for it!
While many teams admit to doing it, the NBA has sworn to get rid of it. Commissioner David Stern is using money as a punishment for those who get CAUGHT flopping. Stern has upped the ante for the playoffs by forgoing warnings and just slapping players with fines, including Knicks’ JR Smith and and Grizzlies’ Tony Allen. However, since every flop has not been caught, players will continue to do it regardless of the possible fine. Pacers forward David West said that fining might curve some flopping, but not in critical moments of games. “I know fining a guy doesn’t really take away a foul at a crucial moment of a game. It’s so hard. It’s a judgment call by the refs, and sometimes guys get rewarded for it.”
While many think flopping is a new trend in the NBA, it has actually been going on for years. It has just become so outrageously exaggerated that the league decided it was time to “try” and put an end to it. Check out a video of Lebron “I don’t flop” James from two years ago:
http://youtu.be/ktJ8S-PJGEQ
Clearly there was no contact, but getting a foul on Derrick Rose is beneficial. Flopping is a new dimension of players’ games. Those who can get away with it, can be beneficial to their team. Those who can’t, just lose money from their pocket. Flopping, it does not seem to be going anywhere and why should it? It is smart basketball.
