LOUSIEST RULE?

Once considered a heads-up play, it is now the move that our
panel of 29 players, coaches and executives would most like to
outlaw. Asked to name the one rule they would change if they
could, nine voters wanted to prohibit players who are sailing
out-of-bounds with the ball from taking a timeout. To the
voters' way of thinking, a player shouldn't be allowed to call
time unless he has complete possession of the ball and both feet
planted on the court. Heat forward Ed Pinckney spoke for the
plurality when he said, "That falling out-of-bounds thing--I
hate that."

Seven voters urged that zone defenses be allowed. Two favored
moving the three-point line from 22 feet to its original 23'9",
and two advocated relaxing the restrictions on hand-checking.

The other choices varied. Golden State G.M. Dave Twardzik wanted
to cease compiling individual statistics in order to promote
greater team play (a change that might also signal the
retirement of Dominique Wilkins). Sacramento VP Geoff Petrie
voted not to make a new rule but to enforce an old one. "Given
the way guys are allowed to dribble today," said Petrie, "it
makes no sense to have the palming rule even in there." And then
there's the measure Bulls guard Ron Harper would like to see on
the books. "I want seven fouls," he said.

--TIM KURKJIAN