PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Clippers realize that they might have witnessed the emergence of the NBA's next big trend in their Christmas Day 105-86 win over the Golden State Warriors.
And not only are they accepting it -- they're embracing it.
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan was intentionally fouled four times by the Warriors in a 75-second period in the third quarter of Sunday's game in what some called a "Hack-a-Jordan," modeled after the Hack-a-Shaq of the 2000's.
Jordan, a lifetime 41-percent shooter from the line, made just three of the eight attempts he received via intentional foul -- including one airball -- and only four of 12 on the night.
"I have to be better from the line next time they pull a Hack-a-D.J., Hack-a-Shaq, whatever you want to call it," Jordan said Monday. "I obviously have to be able to knock my free throws down somewhat to be able to play late in the stretch of games."
But while Jordan was visibly bothered by Warriors coach Mark Jackson's decision to foul during and after the game and again Monday, when he called it "annoying," other Clippers weren't nearly as peeved.
"I hope they (keep doing it)," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said after the team practiced Monday. "It makes it easier on us."
Del Negro's reasoning: It slows the pace down some and allows the Clippers to rest up for late bursts and often puts the opposition in foul trouble. He said it helped his team out against the Warriors.
It also didn't make much of a difference in the score. The Clippers were up by eight when the Hack-a-Jordan began and were still up by eight when Ryan Gomes checked in for Jordan with 2:47 to go in the third.
"I'm going to continue to shoot them the same way I shoot them," Jordan said. "I'm either gonna make them or miss them, and that goes for everybody else in the league."
"When I go to the line, I'm not missing them on purpose. They just didn't go in."
After the rest of the team finished practicing Monday, Jordan continued to take free throws with Gomes and an assistant. Each time Jordan readied to shoot, Gomes would stand up right under the basket and stretch his arms to the rim.
Jordan said it was meant to imitate what's often seen right behind the basket in a mid-game free-throw trip, as he's been known to get distracted.
"Sometimes I'll dribble and I'll look up and there's just so much stuff going on in the background, and I'll look at something else and then look at the basket," he said.
As long as Jordan continues to convert fewer than 50 percent of his free throws, teams could continue to foul him in certain situations. But the Clippers say they don't mind.
"We'll take advantage of it, if that's the case," Del Negro said.
Pedro Moura is a staff writer for ESPNLosAngeles.com.