Interesting numbers from the ESPN statistics folks, which Zach Harper lays out over at TrueHoop:
Number of technical fouls per game through Oct. 31: 07-08 season, 1.18; 08-09 1.80; 09-10 1.76;
This season it is 2.42 technicals per game. Per game that is a 27 percent increase over last season.
Or look at it this way: Last season there had been 67 technicals called by Oct. 31, this season there have been 104.
This has been the impact of the new “respect for the game” technical foul rules.
It is working in this sense — complaining is certainly down. Phil Jackson said during film sessions it was “comical” to see the guys trying to hold back.
But the question is has it gone too far with some officials. Some games — New Orleans vs. Denver last Friday night for example — saw a game drag to an ugly halt during the second quarter as a parade of free throws killed the flow. There have been things like the technical on Darko Milicic this weekend in what ended up being part of a one-point loss. The line for what is and is not permissible seems to move nightly, and vary from official to official.
Personally, I think Kevin McHale hit the nail on the head.
