Gregg Popovich sent critics a hilarious message by ordering the Hack-a-Shaq from the opening trick

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It’s been five years since the NBA changed its rules to try to reduce the number of Hack-a-Shaq fouls against bad free throw shooters. The strategy’s name comes from superstar center and notoriously gruesome foul shooter Shaquille ONeal. But it survived thanks to other players who could break a rim with a free kick, like Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan. Legendary San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wasn’t too proud to employ this strategy.

He used it a lot in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs against the Phoenix Suns. In five games, ONeal had 64 free throws. He made 32 and San Antonio waltzed through the series with a 41 win. That’s what happened the next time the Spurs and Suns met who crossed the line into absurd territory. Coaches are always looking for the smallest benefits. An opponent unable to execute a fundamental such as a free throw is definitely an advantage.

The terrible free throw is as old as the NBA itself

Shaquille ONeal’s biggest flaw as a basketball player was simple. He couldn’t do free throws consistently. He tried different techniques, but nothing ever helped. He was a 52.7% career shooter and is second in NBA history with 5,317 misses on the strip.

He and Wilt Chamberlain are the only players in NBA history to have landed more than 5,000 free kicks. Chamberlain is still king with 5,805 misses and shot 51.1% for his career. Shaq is in the bottom 10 of all time in free throw percentage, but he’s not in the bottom five, so that’s it. The rogue gallery of gamers with the wrong things on the line includes:

Ben Wallace (41.4%) Chris Dudley (45.8%) Andre Drummond (47.0%) DeAndre Jordan (47.5%) Chamberlain (51.1%)

The rule changes in 2016 came in response to teams engaging in loads of Bang-a-Drummond and Demolish-Andre tactics. Drummond holds the NBA record for most failures in a game at 23; Jordan is tied with Chamberlain for second on this list at 22. While that makes games hard to watch, it’s hard to question the logic of coaches like Gregg Popovich who lather, rinse and repeat.

Gregg Popovich answers questions about Shaquille ONeal’s strategy like only Pop could

After his Spurs hacked Shaquille O’Neal early and often during the 2008 playoffs, there were understandably questions about the strategy coach Gregg Popovich would employ in the 200809 team’s first meeting.

No one had to wait long; the Suns and Spurs opened the season against each other in San Antonio.

Phoenix won the first shot. San Antonios Michael Finley concluded ONeal immediately after that, but officials took a few seconds to figure out what was going on. They called Finley for the foul five seconds later, and the Suns got the ball out of bounds.

The revelation came when Popovich turned to ONeal and smiled while raising both thumbs. His assistants laughed openly. Shaq did that too when he realized the joke. ONeal only shot eight free throws (making it five) on the night, and Phoenix beat San Antonio, 10398. Maybe Pop should have made it more.

The rule change didn’t eliminate Hack-a-Shaq, but it limited it Gregg Popovich shed light on the Hack-a-Shaq strategy against Shaquille O’Neal in the season opener regular 2008. | Harry E. Walker / MCT / Tribune News Service via Getty Images | Richard Clement / Icon SMI / Icon Sport Media via Getty Images

Prior to the 201617 season, the NBA already had rules regarding off-ball fouls in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime. In these situations, the penalty was a free throw and the fouled team retained the ball.

The 2016 amendment extended the policy to the last two minutes of each quarter. In addition, he clarified the arrival situations. Any fault before the ball has passed results in the same penalty as if it had been committed in the last two minutes of the period.

Having to watch free throws after free throws doesn’t make good TV. Miss after agony, Miss still shakes up the aesthetics of the game. Overall, the changed rules were a good measure.

It didn’t make it any less fun when Gregg Popovich and Shaquille ONeal laughed at the situation.

Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference and Stathead.

RELATED: Shaquille ONeal Had Size Advantage Over Allen Iverson But Still Hated Playing Against Him: It Was Hard For Me

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