<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It might prove to be about as telling as an early exit poll, but Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich has been whistled for an average of 4.25 fouls this season, including five in each of the last three games. That's about 1.15 more per game than last season -- which would explain how Hinrich has averaged 7.5 fewer minutes of court time through four games than the 36.5 he averaged in 81 games a year ago. After he picked up his second foul with 5:48 left in the first quarter Monday, coach Scott Skiles sat him for the rest of the first half in the Bulls' 110-85 rout of the Milwaukee Bucks. Hinrich ended up playing 21 minutes, 36 seconds. ''It's something he's struggled with throughout his career so far,'' Skiles said. ''One thing we've tried to get him to understand is there's always one foul that is a silly one. [Monday] night, it was his first one. [Michael] Redd was running away from the goal, and Kirk tried to deny him the ball and picked up his first. ''He got his second on more or less a phantom call. It wasn't even a foul. So -- boom! -- he's in foul trouble. He's got to keep working on balancing that: being aggressive and being a good defender and using his wits to stay out of foul trouble.'' Hinrich seems to be at wit's end at times with those ''phantom'' calls. ''I feel I had my game going, I just wasn't allowed to play,'' he said of Monday's game. ''I just feel like I've had numerous very cheap and questionable fouls. Refs are going to get some right, and they're going to get some wrong. When you want to come out, be aggressive and play the game, to start having foul trouble is very frustrating.'' Skiles said Hinrich was not getting the same leeway from officials last year that a veteran of his stature should receive. Hinrich was asked Tuesday if he felt he had ''earned'' his way out of ticky-tack fouls now that he is in his fourth season. ''I don't know,'' Hinrich said. ''I would hope they wouldn't focus on who the player is and decide how to call the game. I just feel like I've got a lot of cheap ones. I don't want to say I'm getting picked on or anything like that. But it is very frustrating.''</div> Source
Arenas has tried to improve his defense and play aggressive and he's averaging 4.7 FPG. What's the lesson the league is giving to them? Playing aggressive defense unless you're Bowen or Artest is bad.
When you play aggressive defense you are going to get into foul trouble every now and again, especially with the new rules the NBA has implemented this season. The NBA is trying to make the game more offensive oriented so it makes it very tough for the defender to contain his player. Whenever there is a question on which way a foul should go (ie. charge or blocking) the referees are instructed to give the offensive player the call. I think Hinrich will adjust to the new NBA soon enough.
The silver lining is that Hinrich is getting more rest, especially after the US team games. Bulls can't afford him to wear out later on this season.
What annoys me is the fact that No one blows the whistle in hinrichs favor. Ive seen him fouled so many times with no call its sometimes frustrating. So I the refs start calling the game fair.
<div class="quote_poster">Bulls=Amazing Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">That's reaching but hey I'll take that optimistic view anytime</div> the glass is half full my friend.
