NBA to crack down on groin hits, traveling this season
The NBA plans to closely monitor and crack down on "unnatural acts" such as hits to groin this upcoming season.
The league's officials will also pay more attention to traveling after coaches complained about players taking too many steps. The officials, who held their preseason meetings and training camp this week, were told about the point of emphasis.
Coaches are concerned that players are taking too many steps after being run off the three-point line by a defender.
The hits to the groin will get more attention this season after incidents involving Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during the playoffs. Green was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul during Game 3 of Western Conference Finals for hitting Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams in the groin.
"Now all of a sudden legs are coming out in different directions at weird times, they're coming higher," Joe Borgia, the NBA senior vice president of replay and referee operations said. "Well, for the protection of the players, we're going to stop it."
Green was then suspended for Game 5 of the NBA Finals after hitting Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and accumulating too many flagrant foul points. Golden State blew a 3–1 lead and lost to Cleveland in seven games.
The preseason starts Oct. 1 and the regular season begins on Oct. 25.
– Scooby Axson
