Count Dirk against any change in goaltending rule

There’s been some interesting debate about the NBA’s
Development League deciding to adopt the international goaltending rule, which
means players can touch the ball anytime after it hits the rim.
 
Donnie Nelson loves the rule. Tyson Chandler hates it.
 
Dirk Nowitzki came down on the side of sticking with the NBA
goaltending rule after practice Thursday night.
 
“I don’t think it could work here,’’
Nowitzki said. “Guys are too athletic and too long. I think somebody
could spike every ball. There are so many athletes in the league.
 
“Plus, we want to increase scoring and make the game
more fun, not take points away. In Europe, games are in the 60s. Nobody wants
to see that. We want to see 110 or 120 points.’’
 
That’s from somebody who has played international
basketball for most of his life.
 
Nowitzki added that when he plays international rules, he
tries not to take advantage of the generous rule that allows players to touch
the ball after it hits the rim, even if it is inside the basket cylinder.
 
“I don’t want to get used to doing it because we
can’t do it in our league,’’ he said.
 
That alone is enough reason to keep the rule the way it is.