(05-02-2021, 07:19 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: I've noticed that too. Sometimes I'll intend to compliment someone on a good passing night and look at the plays on NBA.com. I've seen some assists where there were four dribbles and a layup following the pass. Maybe what constitutes "directly" leading to a basket is flexible. Maybe some kind of move negates the assist, but if the dribbler has a clear path it is an assist?
I said this a while ago: Stat-padding hurts nobody except old players and purists. For the NBA marketing department it looks awesome, when players have half-time triple doubles, average triple-doubles etc. For the teams it will enhance the trade value of the player, assuming they are more aware of their accounting flaws than opposing GMs. That being said I´d expect opposing GMs to be aware of places with very creative stat crews.
Instead of this BS. It would logically make so much more sense to give assists for passes that lead to FTs. Half assist for 1/2, full assist for 2/2. They do it in soccer. If a player draws a penalty and it´s converted. It counts as an assist. Not sure how they handle it, if the player converts the penalty himself. I assume he just gets the goal, and no assist.