Zone defense will cause stir on the court

The NBA season opens Tuesday night with more confusion than usual. For the first time, the league will allow teams alternatives to the man-to man defense. The heated debate over this and other rule changes -- coupled of course with Michael Jordan's return -- is leading to strong anticipation for the season's start.\nThe league is stating that allowing teams to play zone defenses will help increase scoring. This makes no sense. To aid the offense, they will allow the defense to have more freedom? I don't think so. But what the new rule will do is increase action.\nThe NBA is not telling the public what it really is trying to do is eliminate teams' strong dependencies on single players. Teamwork is at a low-point in league history, and fans are showing their frustrations by not tuning in. Players such as Allen Iverson and Vince Carter are often the only players to touch the ball on offense. \nNot only have defenses picked up on this and become extremely effective at stopping it, but even when successful it is simply boring for fans to watch. \n Even though these "slashers" occasionally make fascinating plays, for the most part fans do not enjoy watching one player dribble for 15 seconds, spin around and then maybe score.\n What the NBA really wants is to help teams combat that particular offensive style. Teams will now implement complex defenses in which a defender or two will always be available to help cut off driving lanes of the slashers. The slashers will be forced to pass the ball and move without the ball more than in the past. \nInstead of one player holding the ball and the other four watching, every player will move around and be more involved.\nLet's rid ourselves of the zone myth right now. Fans will not see conventional zones like the 2-3 that are used at the college level. That kind of play can be compared to using the option offense in the NFL. While it works well in college, any professional defensive team would crush it repeatedly. Even the five worst NBA players are quick enough, accurate enough at shooting and talented enough to beat that kind of defense easily every game. \nThe kind of action that the new defenses will bring should please fans. If we see ball movement, player movement and increased action all around, we will be happy whether the ball goes in the basket or not.\nThis rule change alone, I believe, would work beautifully, but the league just couldn't stop there.\nThe reason the league is not explaining the truth to its fans is because of the paradox it creates. The NBA has realized that it must reduce the tendencies of these slashers, but it acknowledges that they are the top stars and most talented players the league has to offer. With ratings down, surely the NBA does not want to eliminate its top selling points.\nSo in order to keep its top stars happy, they added a quirky exception to the newly-allowed zone defense: Defenders cannot stand under the basket for longer than three seconds without closely guarding a player.\nThis rule is absurd for two reasons. It contradicts every problem that the league is trying to fix.\nFirst, players will not be able to stand where they must in order to stop slashers. Second, players will be so confused that they will get called for this violation over and over -- especially in the beginning. This will stop play and decrease action -- which of course goes directly against the NBA's intentions. \nThe rule is also so subjective to the referees' opinions that it will only create anger and frustration.\nThe league must acknowledge that, although slashers such as Carter and Iverson are its current selling points, and although they are extremely talented players, fans are showing through their absence that this style of basketball is not the kind that they want to see. \nInstead of aiding them, which will only be detrimental, they should focus on letting the new defenses create new superstars that fans want to watch.