Flopping has become a regular topic of conversation over the last few NBA seasons, with fans seeing it anywhere between an epidemic and minor nuisance. Though there is a difference between genuine flopping and going down with the slightest touch of contact, both incidents are labeled under the same category.
Players regularly get called out after games, particularly guys like Manu Ginobli, Anderson Varejao, JJ Barea and, more recently, LeBron James. His thoughts on the subject probably won't help the perception that he is, in fact, a flopper, despite repeated denials.
"Some guys have been doing it for years, just trying to get an advantage," James told ESPN.com. "Any way you can get an advantage over the opponent to help your team win, so be it."
He's absolutely correct, and the NBA's decision to blow more whistles and limit player contract as much as possible is the root cause.
Winning is why these guys play the game, whether that is genuine desire or simply to earn more money. Once the NBA started sending people to the charity stripe like Goodwill was a sponsor, players figured out that shooting two freebies was a hell of a lot easier than shooting a contested jumper in the flow of the game. It can also earn an extra possession or get another player T'd up, as Tony Allen did during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Players who exaggerate contact aren't soft, they're smart, and are likely players winning teams want to have. For that matter, ask Spurs fans how many of them don't like Manu.
Of course, a lot of fans preferred the old-school refs who kept their whistles in pockets, when hand-checking was legal and players were able to send a message in the paint. That, however, isn't David Stern's priority, as he has instituted many rules, like forbidding players from leaving the bench area, to keep the game as peaceful as possible.
So if you really don't like the flopping, direct your vitriol towards the NBA front office in the hopes that Stern's replacement might take notice. At the end of the day, players aren't going to listen to your complaints from the couch while they're out trying to win a basketball game.
