The Jeff Van Gundy Game: Changes you want to see in the NBA

[Patr1ck]

I think they could go with a hybrid for the all star jerseys. Maybe an all star emblem on their team jersey.

[koberulz]

maybe i am just used to 80's and early 90's basketball. guys slide after the player has already left his feet and they call charge. makes no damn sense.

Pretty sure the rule at this point is that the defensive player needs to be set before contact occurs, rather than before the offensive player commits, which is utterly nonsensical.

[Andrew]

I'm not sure being set is even part of the rule. Even if it is they're very lenient about it, since dashing over at the last second and making sure you're standing still at the moment there's contact with the offensive player seems to suffice.

[benji]

Section II--By Dribbler
a. A dribbler shall not (1) charge into an opponent who has established a legal guarding position, or (2) attempt to dribble between two opponents, or (3) attempt to dribble between an opponent and a boundary, where sufficient space is not avail-able for illegal contact to be avoided.
b. If a defender is able to establish a legal position in the straight line path of the dribbler, the dribbler must avoid contact by changing direction or ending his dribble.
c. The dribbler must be in control of his body at all times. If illegal contact occurs, the responsibility is on the dribbler.
PENALTY: The offender is assessed an offensive foul. There is no team foul. The ball is awarded to the offended team on the sideline nearest the spot where play was interrupted but no nearer to the baseline than the free throw line extended.
EXCEPTION: Rule 3--Section I--a.
d. If a dribbler has sufficient space to have his head and shoulders in advance of his defender, the responsibility for illegal contact is on the defender.
e. If a dribbler has established a straight line path, a defender may not crowd him out of that path.
PENALTY: The defender shall be assessed a personal foul and a team foul. If the penalty is not in effect, the offended team is awarded the ball on the sideline nearest the spot where play was interrupted but no nearer to the baseline than the free throw line extended. If the penalty is in effect, one free throw attempt plus a penalty free throw attempt is awarded.

Block/Charge:
A block/charge foul occurs when a defender tries to get in front of his man to stop him from going in that direction. If he does not get into a legal defensive position and contact occurs, it is a blocking foul. If he gets to a legal position and the offensive player runs into him it is an offensive foul. In both situations, if the contact is marginal, no foul may be called. To get into a legal position defending against the dribble, the defender needs to get his torso directly in the path and beat him to the spot. On a drive to the basket, the defender must get to his position before the shooter starts his upward shooting motion. For off ball players, the defender must get into position and allow enough opportunity for the offensive player to stop and/or change direction. All ties are considered blocks as the defender did not beat him to the spot but arrived at the same time.

Last part might be most important in terms of how they call it.

[Patr1ck]

Section II - e is weird. It basically sais that if the ball handler is going straight, you can't get in his way.

[Andrew]

Yeah, that last part does seem to be the key. They're pretty kind in saying the defender beat the offensive player to the spot.

[shadowgrin]

Section II - e is weird. It basically sais that if the ball handler is going straight, you can't get in his way.

It's an exception to Section I - a, which I have no idea what it is so it still doesn't make sense for now.

[benji]

It's an exception to Section I - a, which I have no idea what it is so it still doesn't make sense for now.

No, it's not. The exception applies to the PENALTY stated prior.

Rule 3--Section I--a is:

Each team shall consist of five players. No team may be reduced to less than five players. If a player in the game receives his sixth personal foul and all substitutes have already been disqualified, said player shall remain in the game and shall be charged with a personal and team foul. A technical foul also shall be assessed against his team. All subsequent personal fouls, including offensive fouls, shall be treated similarly. All players who have six or more personal fouls and remain in the game shall be treated similarly.

In other words, the PENALTY is changed into the team foul + technical foul rule of Rule 3--Section I--a when there's only five players left as the PENALTY says there is no team foul and the prior rule supersedes this one.

Section II - e is weird. It basically sais that if the ball handler is going straight, you can't get in his way.

No, establishing a "straight line path" which would be like if I start at the three point line and nobody is in front of me and I drive towards the basket you can't run over from the corner and stand in my way drawing contact to stop the drive. You have to have been in a such a place where you can "establish position" well before I get there.

Since a tie is awarded to me, you do basically have to be able to set before I'm well in motion. And apparently I have to be able to get AROUND you or it's on you as well.

[koberulz]

On a drive to the basket, the defender must get to his position before the shooter starts his upward shooting motion.

Which is still too late for the offensive player to do anything about it (and thus should be a block), and they don't even call it that tightly.

The no-charge zone really doesn't help. It really needs to be about half its current size.

[Andrew]

Glancing at the rules again, they probably wouldn't have to amend them that much for them to work as we'd like them to, if at all. They just need to enforce them properly.