[snowbird122]

I didn't read this paper, but I never understood why players who get into foul trouble are pulled from games. I guess the only explanation is that players play differently after a few fouls. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense to take someone out so that you don't have to take them out in the future.

[matwood]

Few basketball games are blowouts. The logic of sitting your best player(s) in foul trouble is to hope that your bench can keep the game close so that your best player can win the game in the end.

[akronim]

Why not keep them out there and get a lead sooner, then hope to keep the lead if they do foul out?

[weaksauce]

Say your star point guard and a center get ejected from the game because they got too many fouls in the middle of the game. This forces the coach to play with a smaller set of players when it matters in the last quarter. The coach wants to be able to put x person on y person on the other team because x matches up with y very well so playing without a full set of players is limiting.

[kenjackson]

I think the other guy's take is that points are points, regardless of when they occur.

But the other guy also correctly deduces the real issue... foul problems change how you play. You play more timidly. And I think it also results in the other team playing a form of basketball that is generally more desireable, which is to drop the ball into the blocks and try to draw a foul (its generally big men who get in foul trouble quicker than guards).

With that said, I think seeing this result is useful.