Ultimately, the rule changes favor speed AND skill, over strength and height. Before, guys like Shawn Marion, Steve Nash, Tyrus Thomas, Josh Smith, etc wouldn’t have really had the same impact. By the same token their are less centers and power forwards, who are stiffs. Quite simply if you don’t have value, usually in the form of key fundamentals (shooting, passing) or athleticism for transition game and defense you don’t have a place in the lineup.

Also it increases both the pace and the amount of possessions per game, which make the game more watchable.

The increased amount of penetration forces more defensive rotations, which in turn force more creative and especially more knowledgeable defenses- who are the good shooters who have to be closed out fast, who is more likely to pump fake and drive on a close out, who can finish at the rim, can he only go one way for the most part like Ginobli?

And on personal level, it sucks when I’m playing rec league ball and I get step on my guy and he handchecks me, usually in the form of arm extended/palm on hip.