Should the NBA count assists on made free throws?

[Real Deal]

Disregarding the record books for a minute (just pretend like we've just started counting assists in basketball, so don't consider how unfair it would be for Magic and Stockton), should the NBA log an assist when a player is fouled AND makes one or both of his free throws?

 

If you think about it, the pass does lead to a point or two, as long as the player makes the free throws...and technically, it was the passer that "assisted" by putting his teammate in the position to get to the foul line.

[fish7718]

I always wondered, as a kid, why they didn't.

[Poe]

I always wondered why they didn't.

[Check my Stats]

I am honestly pretty content with how things are now. I like to think of an assist as a play leading up to a relatively easy, or open, bucket or jumper. And while you could argue that an easy bucket is compromised by fouls, I would hate to see guys get assists for throwing it in the post and the big putting his head down and going to the line.

 

I like that 10 assists is a huge number for point guards, I would hate to see points averaging huge assist numbers all around. Maybe a separate category like passes leading to free throws or something.

Edited October 7, 2010 by travesy3

[ChosenOne]

I think the way it is done is the correct way. If we started to count assists on free throws it would get ridiculous, the way i see it as if you get fouled and are forced to the line then the pass was not good enough to get you an automatic basket.

[EastCoastNiner]

No, not at all. If you convert you're on the line for a reason other than a technical foul or and intentional foul you either:

 

a. Made your shot and are only shooting one free-throw, and the assist counts

 

b. You didn't convert, and now you're shooting two.

 

 

If you're shooting FT's, there's no one contesting your shot.

 

 

Do you get two assists for an "and one"?

Edited October 7, 2010 by EastCoastNiner

[ChosenOne]

Who voted for: Yes

STATCity , Poe , Clutch

 

Please explain why a Yes guys?

[Big Penny]

i voted yes. for example; if i throw up an amazing no look alley-oop to LeBron and he catches it in perfect position, but gets fouled and makes both of his FTs then it's because of me he was in a position to make those FTs. however that won't be counted as an assist.

 

that is more assist-y (if that's even a word lmao) than me dumping it to Kobe in the post, him taking one dribble and pulling off a fadeaway (which would be counted as an assist, if i'm not mistaken)

[Nitro]

I think the way it is done is the correct way. If we started to count assists on free throws it would get ridiculous, the way i see it as if you get fouled and are forced to the line then the pass was not good enough to get you an automatic basket.

 

I know what you mean about it getting ridiculous (it would end up being similar to the NFL where you can get .5 a sack, and it'd be .5 an assist per free throw made), but at the same time you'll often see players get hacked to prevent the easy 2 after receiving a great pass. How should that not be rewarded to the passer, while on the next play that same player can be rewarded on an assist by passing it to a well-defended teammate 35ft out and that player drains the fadeaway 3?

 

But I do agree that they should keep things the way they are. It really isn't a big deal, everything tends to balance out and it makes comparing current players to past players a bit easier when considering stats.

[fish7718]

Who voted for: Yes

STATCity , Poe , Clutch

 

Please explain why a Yes guys?

I just feel like they wouldn't have scored those free throws without the pass to set them up in first place, therefore the passer deserves recognition.

 

BTW: I think it would be 1 assist per whole freethrow session. Like if he makes all 3, 1 assist, makes 2, 1 assist, makes 1, 1 assist, makes 0, no assist.

Edited October 7, 2010 by STATCity

[AboveLegit]

It's also not going to be done because it's simply not a good idea. It would require completely redefining what qualifies as an assist. It's a pass that leads to a basket, not a pass that leads to points scored. If we do it that way we might as well make assists on three pointers worth 1.5 points.

[alcstarheel]

I am for .5 assists. I am actually for them also in the case when the assist led to a three. Shouldn't the passer be credited for the player they passed to getting more points?

 

So my thing is every pass that leads up to "points" gets the passer .5 assists:

• Two Point Shot = 1 assist

• Three Point Shot = 1.5 assists

• One Free = .5 assists

• Two Frees = 1 assist

• Three Frees = 1.5 assists

• Two Point with And-1 converted = 1.5 assists

• Three Point with And-1 converted = 2 assists

 

 

Of course this will never happen, but I think it makes sense. If a pass leads to an And-1 with the fouled player converting the free, I feel the passer should get 1.5 assists.

 

Maybe what they can do that is simpler is change it to where if a pass leads to two or more points in a possession, in any situation (three pointer, free throws), the passer gets an assist:

• Two Point = 1 assist

• Three Point = 1 assist

• One Free = 0 assists

• Two Frees = 1 assist

• Three Frees = 1 assist

• Two Point with And-1 (converted or not) = 1 assist

• Three Point with And-1 (converted or not) = 1 assist

 

No assists on tech frees, obviously. Only for frees on a drawn foul of a defender.

[Poe]

Who voted for: Yes

STATCity , Poe , Clutch

 

Please explain why a Yes guys?

 

The assist is an incomplete stat that only tells a portion of the whole picture. By definition, an assist is to help. So in basketball, to assist is to help a teammate score. Is passing the ball to them the only way you can help a teammate score?

 

The assist needs to be redefined and expanded into perhaps more stats than one. Basketball is a team game after all, it would be nice if the stat keeper would reward all aspects of team play, not just one.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Poe

[ChosenOne]

I get where most of you guys are coming from but I still disagree.

 

and with ALCS I not only disagree but completely disagree with getting 1.5 assist is like giving 5 points for a half court shot, flat out dumb lol.

[Poe]

getting 1.5 assist is like giving 5 points for a half court shot

 

Explain that to me, because that makes no sense whatsoever.

[Sun Tzu]

I thought about this while playing My Player in 2K11

 

Personally I think it shouldn't be allowed even though the assister helped the foul shooter almost score it would just seem unfair if the assister was awarded an assist for something they did not help with, which is the free throws.

[Check my Stats]

So when do we start rewarding the pass that led to the pass, hockey style? It is fine as is, really.

[Real Deal]

I thought about this while playing My Player in 2K11

Funny, because I tried to get 20 assists the other night on My Player (2k10), and my guys kept getting fouled at the rim, and couldn't finish (mainly Artest and Drew). That's exactly why I created this topic, lol.

[fish7718]

Funny, because I tried to get 20 assists the other night on My Player (2k10), and my guys kept getting fouled at the rim, and couldn't finish (mainly Artest and Drew). That's exactly why I created this topic, lol.

That is funny for me as well because when Chosen One asked me to explain I was going to say "because im tired of getting pass to fouled player" or w/e it is, in my player mode

[ChosenOne]

Explain that to me, because that makes no sense whatsoever.

 

Well the way i was looking at it was if someone can get over 1 assist on a pass then why not give a player more points for shooting a deeper shot.

 

If you can get:

 

• Three Frees = 1.5 assists

• Two Point with And-1 converted = 1.5 assists

• Three Point with And-1 converted = 2 assists

 

Then why not give

 

• Half court shot = 4 points

• Full court shot = 5 points

 

imo if you started giving extra points or stats like that then why not give extra points for harders shots?

[alcstarheel]

Well the way i was looking at it was if someone can get over 1 assist on a pass then why not give a player more points for shooting a deeper shot.

 

If you can get:

 

• Three Frees = 1.5 assists

• Two Point with And-1 converted = 1.5 assists

• Three Point with And-1 converted = 2 assists

 

Then why not give

 

• Half court shot = 4 points

• Full court shot = 5 points

 

imo if you started giving extra points or stats like that then why not give extra points for harders shots?

I don't know if you read the post fully or not but I said the assists go with how many points were scored, not specifically how difficult the shot was. A half court or full court shot still counts as 3 points no matter what. Therefore they would net 1.5 assists to the passer. 1 point = .5 assists in any situation. I'm pretty sure I mapped that out completely.

 

THEN I said that change is highly unlikely so I went to 1 assist per whole possession that led to two or more points. That was mapped out too.

 

No talk of difficulty in an arbitrary sense. No judge (statistician) determining the number of assists based on how difficult he perceived the conversion to be.

 

That was your suggestion, which has a 0% chance. I would say each my suggestions has probably been kicked around the league rules committee before (so many of Steve Nash's points lead to threes or fouls where his pass clearly led to the frees). I'm absolutely sure I'm not the first to think of either suggestion.