by Milo
Back then, when it’s time for the PBA, thousands flock to the venue, usually the Araneta Coliseum, homebodies drop everything that they’re doing and watch the games unfold on the television set or listen to the live feed over the radio. The next day, those games were a surefire discussion over the dining table among friends and family, arguing over calls, reveling in the wins of their team, discussing the perfect plays and mishaps during those games.
But now, it’s not as popular as it was once was. Rarely do I hear lengthy friendly chatter about the PBA. The star of the PBA has already faded significantly that when you ask an everyday man on the street on who won the last conference, he could not answer. The venues are often half to three-fourths filled. Compared this to the games years back, the games today do not draw a crowd much like it did before. Even perennial crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings with their “never-say-die” attitude could not generate the same following and pack the arena when compared to the yesteryears of the league.
It’s a very interesting fact for a country where the interest and popularity of basketball is high.
As the probable star power of the PBA slowly fades over the years, several ideas are thrown to the blueprint table in hopes to give the premiere league of the Philippines a jumpstart to revive its former glory.
One of these ideas that the league is mulling over is the addition of the three-point dunk. We may not see this three-point dunk rule this season of the PBA. However, it is one of the rules that is strongly lobbied for by some of the upper management including the commissioner himself.
Similar to the rule instigated in the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA), the three-point dunk concept is when a dunk is worth three points instead of the usual two. The proposal also states that a dunk will be given three points if: No. 1, it is scored by a player who takes off six feet away from the basket; No. 2, a player finishes a fast-break play off a steal in the backcourt; or No. 3, a player completes a catch-and-dunk situation in mid-air.
By employing such a rule, the league hopes to create a faster and more banging game inside because the dunk, the highest percentage shot in the basketball, is worth more than a jumper. I mean, why settle for a midrange jumper, when you can try and take it to the hole in hopes to get more points for your team? It may only be one point, but a point could decide or even dictate the flow of the game.
A faster game means a more exciting game in today’s standards. When you see European basketball, the rules instigated in the NBA nowadays (much like that five second back-to-the-basket rule), or the Phoenix Suns, all signs point to a new stage in this sport — the faster, the better. Fans are enamored with this speed as they are treated with wow-inducing gravity-defying lay-ups and dunks, how-did-that-get-through passes, more three-point bombs, and higher scoring battles. No wonder the Suns became crowd favorites.
However, employing the three-point dunk in the PBA may not actually hasten the pace of the game like the league wants. I actually do not like the idea. Think about it, how many PBA athletes could actually dunk? How many of our guards could actually steal, flash down the lane and rise up for a slam? Filipinos are not genetically gifted to dunk.
This may also bring about some irreparable repercussions to the game. We may see the art of the jumper fade away since players may shift to give the ball more inside to their center who hopefully can dunk, but note, they must be six feet away. Alley-oops, dunk and alley-oop turnovers will also be on the rise.
We may see an increase of dunk-related or “intense-defense-related” injuries as well. Dunks are not the safest shots in the world. Take-off wrong, land wrong or hit someone in the process of going up can lead into serious injury. Think Eugene Tejada and his injury, but that was just a rebound play. What if there’s actual defense involved already to contest the dunk?
We will also see changes in the mindset of the athletes as well. Imagine soon-to-be-seen PBA player Arwind Santos receiving the ball from the outside, drives, avoids everyone, and instead of laying it in for the easy two, he jumps six-feet away trying to go for a dunk for the three, misses and lands awkwardly on the floor. Ooh, double-punch problem.
Plus, that first rule for a dunk to be worth three-points is preposterous. Look at the proposal. A three-point dunk is scored by a player who takes off six feet away from the basket. By god, who in PBA can actually do that? I’m sure that if someone actually makes it, it will be subject to scrutiny by teams. Replays will be on the rage in order to debunk or to accept if that dunk was worth three points. This will absolutely kill the referees as they will continually argue with the coaches of the teams if their decision is correct.
The demand for Fil-Am (or Fil-Shams) players may be on the rise as well since they are usually more athletic and more gifted in height. It could also turn the PBA into an individual display of skills and jumping ability rather than enhancing the teamwork-based style of play.
To put the cherry on top of the cake, if the Filipinos want to ever have a shot at competing in the international level, this rule would not help at all in training our best basketball athletes. The international scene sports taller, more powerful and probably more skilled men. By inducing the mindset of a three-point dunk, just think of the problems it would generate when facing these teams. It does not help to increase an athlete’s skills in shooting or defending. Even if the coach says to stop going for the dunk, a habit/mindset would be hard to break. This rule will just play to the advantage of the other countries.
This rule is a superficial layer of make-up to hide the blemishes in the PBA. Instead of fixing the internal problems of the league like officiating, bloated contracts and Fil-shams, they want to cover these up with this gimmick in hope to bring in more spectators. It may bring in fans for a while, but they would soon grow tired of it. The PBA may experience the MBA new rules setback (three-point dunk, three-point single shot free-throw, four-point shot, etc.). It worked for the MBA for a while, but soon, it died down just like the skin-deep fad that it is.
Scrap this proposal. Please.
