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In Monday night's Game 4 of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves, a strategy reared its head that has long plagued professional basketball. The game, which should have ended in a climactic finish, was instead marred by a flurry of intentional fouls from both teams. Ultimately, the Thunder secured a 128-126 victory, but the ending left many fans feeling short-changed.

This issue isn’t new. In fact, sports leagues have grappled with intentional manipulation of rules for strategic gain for years. In 2019, then-Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel illustrated this in the NFL by exploiting an obscure rule to help clinch a wild-card playoff win over the New England Patriots. He instructed his players to commit penalties intentionally to run down the clock, prompting the NFL to adjust its rules a year later.

The NBA’s conundrum revolves around teams that use intentional fouling late in close games to halt the clock and force free throws. While traditionally the strategy was only used by the losing team, more recently, leading teams have adopted it as well. This tactic transforms an otherwise thrilling game into a monotonous free-throw contest, much to the dismay of the fans.

To address this, some rule changes have been proposed. One idea is to reward three free throws for non-shooting fouls beyond the arc in the final two minutes. Another suggestion is to allow fouled teams to choose between free throws or taking the ball out of bounds, which could preserve the flow of the game.

Additionally, introducing a double bonus rule has been explored. If a team commits multiple non-shooting fouls in the last two minutes, subsequent fouls would yield three free throws instead of two. This could deter teams from committing repeated intentional fouls, making the game faster and more exciting.

Further suggestions include rearranging the rebounders during free throws to prevent the fouling team from having an inherent advantage on the glass. It is also proposed that intentional fouls could be categorized as technical fouls, giving the other team one free throw and possession of the ball.

Perhaps the most drastic solution is implementing the Elam Ending. Used in The Basketball Tournament and tested in various NBA events, this method sets a target score that teams must reach to win, eliminating the clock in the game's final stages. This idea could ensure every game ends with a game-winning shot and significantly reduce intentional fouling.

As the NBA continues to evaluate these potential changes, it remains clear that the league's objective is to ensure fair competition while maintaining the entertainment value of the sport. While some solutions may seem radical, they could evolve basketball, much like the introduction of the 3-point line and the shot clock did in decades past.