OT: This isn't legal, right?

[CuseFaninVT]

First off, I think he actually landed before he released the ball, but if you intentionally pass to yourself, isn't that a travel?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...oop-off-backboard-himself-013923822--nba.html

 

[pfister1]

If it wasn't Lebron I would say it could just as easily be a missed shot, rebound and put back. I know a shot has to hit the rim to reset the shot clock, but does it have to hit the rim to be considered a shot for all purposes?

 

[upperdeck]

its legal.

 

[jordoo]

I think passing to yourself off the backboard should be a violation. Passing to a team mate I'm OK with but how do you defend a dude purposely bouncing it off the backboard to himself?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

If it wasn't Lebron I would say it could just as easily be a missed shot, rebound and put back. I know a shot has to hit the rim to reset the shot clock, but does it have to hit the rim to be considered a shot for all purposes?

No, but I believe there actually has to be an actual attempt at a shot for it to be considered anything but a pass to yourself. If this is legal, then me tossing the ball over my 9-year old's head and then going up for a dunk is legal as well. There is no ref alive who could say that Lebron actually made a shot attempt there.

I'm sticking with that's a walk.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I think passing to yourself off the backboard should be a violation. Passing to a team mate I'm OK with but how do you defend a dude purposely bouncing it off the backboard to himself?

I think its fine as long as you don't land in between the pass and the shot attempt.

 

[Shermthegeneral]

It's basically a missed shot, a rebound and a score. I knew guys who would drive to the lane, throw the ball off the backboard and catch it on the opposite side of the rim and then lay it in. The defender would be so confused, by the time he realized it was a pass, it was to late.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

It's basically a missed shot, a rebound and a score. I knew guys who would drive to the lane, throw the ball off the backboard and catch it on the opposite side of the rim and then lay it in. The defender would be so confused, by the time he realized it was a pass, it was to late.

He hit the far left edge of the backboard. No one believes that was a shot attempt.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I stand corrected.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/26902/legalized-passing-to-yourself

The answer is fascinating. Google up the NBA rulebook, and you'll find there's really just one rule that might apply:

A player who attempts a field goal may not be the first to touch the ball if it fails to touch the backboard, basket ring or another player.​

Of course, that's no help, really, because those are not field goal attempts. Those are passes.

So I asked the NBA for clarification, and they pointed me to two rules -- the one above, and a new one:

A player may not be the first to touch his own pass unless the ball touches his backboard, basket ring or another player.​

 

[AZOrange]

Larry bird did it

 

[Cheriehoop]

It looks like an "up and down" play to me. Lebron went up in the air and neither dribbled, passed nor was in the act of shooting the ball before his feet hit the floor. I would have thought it was a travel before he even threw it off the backboard. Awkward And1 streetball play.

 

[dollarbill44]

There you have it. As long as it hits the rim or backboard, you can do it.

 

[cardinalfan123]

It's legal. If he lobbed it in the air to himself it would've been a double dribble or something.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

It's legal. If he lobbed it in the air to himself it would've been a double dribble or something.

In reality though it's the same thing. And if you do it in the NCAAs, it's a travel.

 

[scottynguyen]

That was legal.

This wasn't.

 

[jmr4616]

That was legal.

This wasn't.

Sure that is legal, but only because his feet never came down after he tossed it to himself. It was all done in the air.

Side note: Look how awful the zone was compared to this year on the next possession. Yikes!

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Sure that is legal, but only because his feet never came down after he tossed it to himself. It was all done in the air.

Side note: Look how awful the zone was compared to this year on the next possession. Yikes!

Noticed that as well. A lot of chasing instead of being in the right spots at the right time.