Durant unhappy with 90-second pregame rule

Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

NEW YORK -- If Miami Heat forward LeBron James wants to toss chalk into the air, if Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard wants to peel plastic off the shoe-grip mat at the scorer's table and shoot the wadded up plastic into the crowd and if Kevin Garnett wants to fire himself up in front of the padded support at the basket, they better complete their pre-tipoff routines in 90 seconds or less after player introductions.

If they – or any players – aren't ready for the jump ball 90 seconds after player introductions, their team will face a delay-of-game warning this season, an effort by the NBA to start games on time.

Players can still do their pregame rituals, as long as they're completed in 90 seconds. The time will be kept on the scoreboard. At 30 seconds the horn will sound and referees will alert teams that tipoff is coming in 30 seconds.

The NBA has had a 90-second rule in place. But over the years, the rule failed to be enforced.

Now, there will be a "more thorough enforcement of an existing rule," NBA spokesman Tim Frank said.

However, at least one player, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star forward Kevin Durant, is riled up by it.

"I personally don't like it," Durant told The Oklahoman. "Every player in this league has routines they do with their teammates, rituals they do before the game and before they walk on the floor. The fans like it. The fans enjoy it. You see the fans mimicking the guys who do their stuff before the game.

"To cut that down really don't make no sense. Why would you do it? I really don't agree with it, but I don't make the rules.

"Maybe I've got to go a little quicker," Durant went on. "I've got to make sure I acknowledge all my teammates before I walk out on the floor. That's just how I am. That's how we are as a team. Guys do their thing, their handshakes. I do the tying (of) the shoes, the praying. I've just got to speed it up."

Heat guard Dwyane Wade told reporters Wednesday he will maintain his pregame routine, which includes salutes to fans.

Said James, seemingly unconcerned: "We'll figure it out."

So, Durant won't be able to this anymore: