LAS VEGAS -- The NBA is taking a step toward trying to reduce the hack-a strategy on poor free throw shooting players.The NBAs board of governors approved rules changes for the 2016-17 season that apply to deliberate fouls that occur away from plays.We had a discussion about so-called Hack-a-Shaq, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. We adopted a new rule there. I would say it is not everything that some people were looking for us to do and it was a compromise.With the rhythm and flow of some games bogged down by teams using strategy to foul poor free throw shooters like the Los Angeles Clippers DeAndre Jordan and the Detroit Pistons Andre Drummond, the NBA has decided to extend the current rule for away-from-the-play fouls applicable to the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and any overtime to the last two minutes of each period.Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told ESPN he voted against new deliberate foul rules.Rewarding incompetence is never a good business strategy, Cuban said.And on inbounds situations, any defensive foul that occurs before the inbounder releases the ball will be whistled in the same fashion as an away-from-the-play foul committed during the last two minutes of any period (i.e., one free throw and possession of the ball).Flagrant foul rules will also be used to protect players from any dangerous or excessively hard deliberate fouls, including if a player tries to deliberately foul an opponent by leaping on an opponents back. Before these types of fouls were subject to flagrant fouls but not automatic.Silver said the new rules changes will have a real impact on games, and there will be a reduction of roughly 45 percent of the incidents of the away-from-the-play fouls right now.?I definitely do not accept [the] premise that it is cosmetic and we wouldnt have done it if it was only a cosmetic change, Silver said. ... Remember the change of a playing rule requires two-thirds of our teams. I would say the vote was not unanimous today but obviously in order to make a change we did get two-thirds of the teams. ... Nobody suggested that we will never have to discuss this again.[But] the data shows that it is often used at the end of quarters to foul players who arent even particularly bad free throw shooters to try to gain another possession, Silver added. Incidentally, some of those plays we want to make sure we eliminate, some plays that are more dangerous such as jumping on players backs. But we will see.The NBAs competition committee recommended the new rules changes at the offseason meetings.Information from ESPNs Tim MacMahon contributed to this report. Nelson Cruz Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Harmon Killebrew Jersey . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. http://www.twinssale.com/twins-kyle-gibson-jersey/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Tony Oliva Twins Jersey . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. Byron Buxton Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If Mark Dantonio needs help explaining to his team how costly penalties can be, all he needs to do is bring up the last time Michigan State faced Notre Dame.The Spartans lost 17-13 in 2013 in what ended up being their only defeat that season. It happened in large part because Michigan State was flagged 10 times for 115 yards. Now the 12th-ranked Spartans take on the Irish again this weekend -- and Michigan State is trying to clean up many of the same problems with penalties after a sloppy season opener.Coach `D was not happy at all, defensive back Demetrious Cox said. Over the bye week we did a lot of disciplinary things.Michigan State had plenty to work on during its open week on the schedule after a 28-13 win over Furman on Sept. 2. The Spartans were penalized 10 times for 120 yards against the FCS opponent -- not exactly the type of discipline theyll need against tougher competition.It was quite a variety of infractions. Michigan State was called for holding four times and pass interference twice. Throw in three personal fouls, and the Spartans gave away a lot of yards in a game they were expected to win handily.I think offensively speaking, we halted two of our drives when we were driving the ball and everything and we felt that we would have gone down and scored if we didnt have a 10- or 15-yard penalty, quarterback Tyler OConnor said.The 2013 game at Notre Dame was even worse, since the penalties led to a loss that ultimately kept the Spartans from a possible national title shot.In that defeat three years ago, Michiigan State was called for pass interference four times.dddddddddddd Notre Dame had 14 first downs in that game, and half of them came via penalties.The Irish certainly werent shy about testing Michigan State deep that day.Twenty times, Dantonio said Tuesday.It may have felt like even more at the time.From my perspective, we made plays. You know, flags came out a little bit, but from my perspective, we made plays on the ball, Dantonio said. Sometimes those are bang-bang type situations where youre trying to -- everybodys trying to do the right thing, so not looking backward. But at the same time, regardless of what happens, you need to move on and play the next play. I think thats the most important thing.Michigan State will have another shot against the 18th-ranked Irish on Saturday, but although the 2013 game against Notre Dame stung, the more recent concern is the performance against Furman. The Spartans have had plenty of time to address the problems they had that night, when they underwhelmed amid all those penalty flags. OConnor noticed that the penalties seemed similar, in a way.They werent mental errors. They werent jumping offsides, delay of games, illegal formations or things like that, OConnor said. They were more technique and kind of just being dumb. I think we had a late hit maybe and a couple holding penalties. So whether thats technique or getting used to how the refs are calling the game, Im not sure. ' ' '