Despite their recent success, the Oklahoma City Thunder are among the most controversial teams in the entire NBA. Foul-baiting tactics have been around for many years, but the Thunder exploit the system at a level we’ve never seen before.
Led by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they are exceptional at selling contact and drawing fouls, and it’s becoming an increasingly popular strategy in the modern NBA. Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Game 1 vs. the New York Knicks. Spurs guard Stephon Castle had the chance to condemn the Thunder’s practice and criticism, but he took a different approach.
“I don’t really know how to answer that, because I sell calls too, I can’t lie,” said Castle. “It’s really just a feel thing, especially in the playoffs. If it’s too egregious, the refs aren’t gonna bail you out. They’re gonna make the better team win. So, I think just taking it game by game and not trying to put yourself at a disadvantage. I don’t think it’s about selling calls or not selling calls to get your way to make yourself look a certain type of way. We talk to the refs a lot, but most of the time they’re right. Whether you fall down or not, whether you get the call or don’t get the call, it’s not really something you can change. For us, it’s just playing the game and seeing how the refs are calling it.”
The Thunder have been under relentless scrutiny for their foul-baiting tendencies, and they have yet to back down. While they only ranked seventh in the playoffs for total free-throw attempts, Shai is leading the field in falls, validating widespread speculation that he oversells contact from defenders.
Of course, with the Thunder now out of the playoffs, critics are seizing the opportunity to condemn the practice, but old habits don’t die so easily. For Castle, it’s not worth getting heated over, considering that he’s guilty of committing the act himself sometimes. In fact, nearly every high-level player resorts to foul-baiting methods when the situation calls for it. All he can do is perform, and that’s exactly what he’s been doing with averages of 19.2 points, 6.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game on 47% shooting from the field.
In the end, you can’t blame Shai or Castle for doing whatever it takes to win. Drawing fouls is a valuable skill in the NBA, and some are better at it than others. As a team, the Thunder weren’t able to get it done this year, but we can’t expect them to have doubts about their approach.
So, what can we expect in the Finals? With a championship on the line, neither Castle nor any of his teammates will hesitate to flop if it means an extra trip to the free-throw line. The same could be said for the Knicks, whose “ethical basketball” ideals only go so far. With guys like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Josh Hart giving everything, selling contact will just be part of the basic formula, the same as every other playoff team remaining.
The key to victory for the Spurs is not to abuse the tactic and not to rely on it to bail them out of tough situations. With the Finals set for tomorrow, the stage is set for a brutal showdown, and the win might just come down to which team is better prepared for the fight at hand.
