PBA Debacle: Is taking a shot when the result was already settled, a bad thing?

(c) PBA Media Bureau

Here we go again. After Simon Enciso knocked a three-pointer before the time expires, Brgy. Ginebra personnel, led by coach Tim Cone, were disappointed.

It led coach Tim Cone to go straight to the dugout and avoid a handshake from coach Alex Compton.

Coach Alex Compton admitted that it was his order and he explained that it was all about the quotient system. He said that in the past, they failed to make the playoffs because they once honored the tradition of not taking a shot when the game is already settled.

He also said that he understands the reaction of coach Tim Cone and will not take it personally.

Now, let us go back to the question, is taking a shot when the result was already settled, a bad thing?

According to tradition, it is!

Ask yourself though, why?

Because it is showboating? Possible. But in the PBA, they do have the quotient system which dictates that every point, matters.

It is a disrespect to the other team? Again, every point counts. And if a player make a shot when the result was already settled, it means that the losing team did not do their responsibility of defending the shot-taker.

That is one of the points that I want to emphasize. So if the losing team already gave up, the winning team should stop taking a shot? 

So, we will penalize the team that did their best in that game to give relief to the team who was not good enough?

THE QUOTIENT SYSTEM
This controversy put the quotient system also into focus. The quotient system is so powerful because the elimination round is only 11 games for each team. The possibilities of deadlocks are huge.

Now, why 11 games? It is due to the fact that we have three conferences to play through. Increasing the number of games will decrease the possibility of ties.

That can only happen if we end the three-conference era.