"Man, I hate playing like that" - When Tim Duncan apologized to DeAndre Jordan for doing Hack-a-Shaq

While the Hack-a-Shaq strategy might be clever, it's not the most thrilling tactic to watch. Tim Duncan acknowledged this during a game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers on February 20, 2015.

Before tip-off, San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich had instructed his team to intentionally send the opposing center, DeAndre Jordan , to the free-throw line. 'Timmy' went along with the plan but made it clear to DJ that he wasn't exactly enjoying the task.

"He's (Duncan) like, 'Man, I hate playing like that.' I said, 'I've got to make them,' and he's like, 'Yeah, once you start making them, then it's going to be tough. Teams are going to have a problem,'" Jordan recounted their in-game conversation, per the Los Angeles Times.

Hack-a-Shaq explained

The Hack-a-Shaq tactic involves deliberately fouling a poor free-throw shooter. It gained popularity during Shaquille O'Neal's career, hence its name.

The Hall of Fame center was so offensively dominant that coaches, rather than letting their players watch him score without resistance, exploited Shaq's poor free-throw shooting (his career average from the line was .527). Ideally, he would at least miss one free throw, allowing the opposing team to regain possession.

Another player who dealt with this tactic was 'DeAndre 3000'. Apart from his free-throw struggles (.397 that year), he had performed masterfully that month before the Spurs game. The big man was unstoppable, averaging 17.0 points and 16.6 boards, which led his teammate Chris Paul to label him the Clippers ' "most valuable player."

Jordan's free-throw fiasco

Many fans were eager to see the clash between point guard legends Paul and Tony Parker when the Clippers faced the Spurs . However, the real contest was Jordan versus the free-throw line.

Starting early in the game, DeAndre was sent there, and it became almost comical as the San Antonio players then took turns deliberately fouling him. By the end, the free-throw stats for the 2023 NBA champ with the Mavs were far from impressive: he managed to make only 10 out of 28 attempts.

Despite these struggles, the Texas native took it all in stride. " I dropped out of college, but percentage-wise, I don't think that's good," he joked afterward and called the game a great opportunity for "some more free-throw practice."

There were good reasons for Jordan's humor. First, his L.A. Clippers team had won the thrilling game with a score of 119-115. Second, 'DeAndre 3000' had played a significant role in that victory, scoring 26 points and grabbing 18 rebounds.

Even the coach of the left-handed 6'11" center didn't criticize his poor free-throw shooting. Doc Rivers simply said, "The last thing he (Jordan) needs me to do is give him more advice. To me, just go and play."

Related: "He don't care about really what he's worth to the game" - When Karl Malone dubbed Tim Duncan his "all-time favorite"