Post by suleimanmdI was looking at the history of rules changes , and it looks like it
was around 2001 -2002 when it was removed form the rules.
I can't recall the driving force behind the change at the time, but I
really hate the zone defense , and wish they reinstate the illegal
defense rule,at times, the zone made some average defensive teams look
like the bad boys of 1990< cough... Mavericks... cough>
The zone was a college defense , and in my humble opinion , should
never have graduated into the NBA..
Of course the main reason I hate the zone :-it is an obstacle to
strong ;athletic point guards getting to the rim at well.
http://www.nba.com/features/jackson_rules_response.html
Can you explain why the Select Committee on Playing Rules decided on
each of the following rules changes and why the committee feels each
change will help the game?
Eliminating illegal defense guidelines:
Jackson: The illegal defense guidelines needed to be eliminated because
they have become problematic. They are problematic for our fans, who
don't understand the rule. They are problematic for the officials, who
admittedly have had difficulty administering the rule. And finally, our
teams have used the guidelines in a way that produces isolation
basketball. Teams identify areas on the floor that they can use to their
advantage in a given offensive matchup and this produces a real sameness
of play amongst a lot of our teams. With isolation basketball, a lot of
our teams began standing around. There is little player movement, there
is little ball movement, and there is a decreasing amount of fastbreak
opportunities. These developments began with the misuse of the illegal
defense guidelines and therefore they needed to be eliminated. By
eliminating them, our desired result is to get a game that once again is
based on passing, cutting, player movement, and ball movement. A game
that hopefully produces fastbreak opportunities because that is the way
our game should be played.
A defensive three-second violation that would prohibit a player on
defense from being in the lane for more than three seconds, except when
the player is defending an opponent in the lane area:
Jackson: When we eliminated the illegal defense guidelines, the number
one concern was that teams would take a bigger player, like a Shaquille
O'Neal, Theo Ratliff, Shawn Bradley, or Dikembe Mutombo, and simply put
him in the middle of the lane to camp out and prohibit drives to the
basket and encourage low-percentage shots. In an effort to help
alleviate that concern, the defensive three-seconds violation was
recommended. Prohibiting a player from being in the lane for longer than
three seconds will hopefully prevent a player from simply camping in the
lane for the entire possession.
====================
The old rules were ridiculously complicated, hard to call harder to
teach, and still did not really force man to man.
======================
What the "can not stay in the paint 3 sec without guarding someone"
replaced:
Old illegal defense rules:
The free throw lane is divided into the following areas:
(1) The "outside" lanes consist of two 2' X 19' areas which
are adjacent and parallel to the college lane.
(2) The "inside" lane consists of the 12' X 19' area which
is the college lane.
(3) The "posted-up" areas consist of two 3' X 19' areas
which are adjacent and parallel to the free throw lane lines. A hashmark
on the baseline denotes this area.
b. If an offensive player's positioning permits, a defender may be
positioned in the "outisde" lane with no time limit.
c. Defenders may be in a position within the "inside" lane for a
tight 2.9 seconds. They must re-establish a position with both feet out
of the "inside" lane, to be legally clear of the restricted area.
d. A defender may be positioned within the "inside" lane with no
time limitations, if an offensive player is positioned within the 3'
"posted-up" area.
e. An imaginary line, which extends from the baseline to the
midcourt line, divides the frontcourt into two equal parts; one is the
"weakside" and the other is the "strongside."
(1) The "strongside" is the side of the frontcourt where the
ball is located.
(2) The "weakside" is the side of the frontcourt which is
opposite the "strongside."
f. A defender may cross from the "weakside" to the "strongside"
only to (1) aggressively double-team the ball, or (2) to pick up a man
who is open because of a double-team on the ball. The defender may not
rotate toward a double-team until the ball is released on a pass.
g. An offensive player may not be double-teamed by a "weakside"
defender, if he does not have the ball in his possession.
h. An offensive player who has the ball in his possession may be
aggressively double-teamed by defenders from anywhere on the floor. There is
no time limit that a double-team must remain established.
i. If a defender goes from a "weakside" to "strongside" for the
purpose of establishing a double-team, he must follow a direct path to
the ball.
j. The frontcourt is divided into the following three defensive
areas:
(1) The Upper Defensive Area (6' X 50') extends from the upper
tip-of-circle extended to the free throw line extended.
(2) The Middle Defensive Area (6' X 50') extends from the free
throw line extended to the bottom tip-of-circle extended.
(3) The Lower Defensive Area (13' X 50') extends from the bottom
tip-of-circle extended to the baseline.
k. If an offensive player is positioned above the tip-of-circle
extended, "weakside" or "strongside," his defender must position himself
above the free throw line extended (Upper Defensive Area). A defender
may go below the free throw line extended (1) to aggressively
double-team the ball,
(2) to defend an offensive player(s) who is open because of a
double-team on the ball, or (3) as a normal reaction to a "ball fake."
The defender must
return to a legal position immediately, or double-team on-the-ball if
the ball is not released on the pass.
l. A defender may always position himself one defensive area away
from the offensive player he is guarding.
m. If an offensive player is positioned in the Upper or Middle
Defensive Area, "weakside" or "strongside," his defender may "flash" to
the Middle or Lower Defensive Area, respectively, for a tight 2.9 seconds.
n. If an offensive player, "weakside" or "strongside," relocates
to a position above the tip-of-circle extended, his defender must assume
a legal position (1) in the Upper Defensive Area, (2) aggressively
double-team the
ball, or (3) defend an offensive player(s) who is open because of a
double-team on-the-ball. There is no time limit. The movement to a legal
position must commence immediately.
o. When a "strongside" offensive player is positioned below the
free throw line extended, his defender must establish a position (1)
below the
free throw line extended, (2) double-team the ball, or (3) defend an
offensive player(s) who is open because of a double-team on-the-ball.
There is no time limit. The movement to a legal position must commence
immediately.
p. The definition of a double-team is when two or more defenders
aggressively pursue an offensive player with the ball and obtain a
position close enough for a jump ball to occur. Restrictions on a
double-team are in force as soon as the ball crosses midcourt.
q. A legal switch shall be interpreted as two defenders switching
defensive assignments on two offensive players at an "area of intersection."
If the defensive switch takes place in the free throw lane, the
defenders must take at least one step into the "inside" lane.
r. A defender whose offensive player relocates from the
"weakside" to the "strongside" must (1) follow him immediately, (2)
switch to another offensive player at an "area of intersection," or (3)
double-team the ball.
There is no time limit. The movement to a legal position must commence
immediately.
s. A defender whose offensive player relocates from "strongside"
to "weakside" must (1) follow him immediately, (2) switch to another
offensive player at an "area of intersection," or (3) double-team the
ball. There is no time limit. The movement to a legal position must
commence immediately.
t. As the ball is being advanced across the midcourt line a
defender responsible for guarding an opponent who is positioned on the
"strongside" and is positioned below the free throw line extended must
(1) position himself below the free throw line extended, or (2)
aggressively double-team the ball. His movement to one of these legal
positions must commence immediately upon the ball crossing the mid-court
line. There is no time limit.
u. Failure to comply with articles (k) through (t) above will
result in an illegal defense violation.