Defense as we know it in the NBA has been changed dramatically by new rules that allow teams to play zones.

All the cheating coaches used to do is now legal.

What are they going to get away with now?

"Right now, I don't know how the rules are going to be interpreted," Philadelphia 76ers Coach Larry Brown said. "We had the NBA referees come in and talk to us, and I don't even think that they're clear on their guidelines. In a lot of cases, if they call them the way they expressed it to us, it's going to be more difficult to have good man-to-man principles, which is a concern I have right now."

For every rule, there is a cunning coach who can tilt its meaning to favor his team. This season, though, will be a year that promises much confusion and frustration.