As people who enjoy the game of basketball, I think we can all agree that the intentional foul to prevent a fast break is one of the worst things ever. The NBA obviously thinks so, as they came up with the clear-path rule to discourage potential foulers from spoiling the fun. While the implementation of this rule has certainly helped to prevent exciting fast breaks from being ruined by buzzkilling fouls, there is no way to eliminate the practice of intentional fouling entirely. Some players have become so accustomed to fouling that they continue to do it despite the clear-path penalty, and then there are other situations where the rule doesn’t even apply.
In the following video, Darren Collison commits what was ruled a clear-path foul. He did so in an effort to break up a two-on-one run out involving Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, which was sure to end spectacularly. Thankfully, despite Collison’s foul, it still did.
Russell Westbrook: Advocate of natural energy solutions.
Now, of course this sequence would’ve been way cooler if the windmill had counted, but Westbrook probably would’ve refrained from attempting such a difficult dunk had the whistle not been blown. So, in this particular instance, we can sort of be glad that Collison fouled… which got me thinking, why can’t other players do what Westbrook did here and finish the break despite the foul? I mean, why allow showtime to be cancelled by some douchy point guard that’s just mad he can’t jump high? That shit’s not cool, nor is it necessary… so don’t let ‘em get away with it!
Next time Blake Griffin gets clear-path fouled I want/fully expect to see a 360-between-the-legs-off-the-backboard-backflip-barrel-roll jam. There is absolutely no logical reason why this cannot and should not happen.
