Fit the court to basketball players -- protect top batters eligibility

To accomodate the ever-larger wingspan to today's National basketball Association player, who averages 6 ft. 7 in., New York coach Red Holzman has suggested the possibility of widening the court several feet.

At the same time, Philadelphia's Billy Cunningham expresses concern about the game being too fast, a situation related to court length. Mobile big men "shorten" the floor by running fast breaks. at times turning play into nothing more than a dizzying succession of transitions, from defense to offense and back again. Rebound, pass, dribble, dribble, shoot. On and on it goes.

The 24-second shooting clock, of course, plays a major role in dictating the tempo, although the size and speed of the players increasingly contributes to the racehorse pace. A larger court, both wider and longer, plus more time on the shot clock, are changes the NBA might seriously consider. Slowing down and spreading out the action could bring greater varity and different strategies into the pro game.