3 seconds in the key is NOT a new rule: Explained

[Im Still Ballin]

This is 3ball's argument, which I will decisively debunk...


Today's defensive 3 seconds rule requires defenders to stay out of the lane, unless they are within "armslength" of an opponent.. http://www.nba.com/nba101/misunderstood_0708.html


The original rule from 1982 was different, and ALLOWED defenders to camp in the paint: (http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html)
1981-82
"Defender on post player is allowed in defensive three-second area (A post player is any player adjacent to paint)".

So just by substituting the rule's own parenthetical reference, the rule translates EXACTLY to: "Defender on player adjacent to the paint is allowed in defensive 3 second area."

His argument is that the vagueness in the original 1981 rule didn't specify any distance restrictions/specifications to unlimited time allowed in the key... It simply states,

"b. Defender on post player is allowed in defensive three-second area (A post player is any player adjacent to paint area)."

The distinction... A post player is pretty much right next to the lane/key... So it is essentially the same thing as "within arm's length"

Even so, I found an explanation for what constitutes the locality of a post player


An offensive player shall be ruled as "postedup" when he is within 3' of the free throw lane line. A hash mark on the baseline denotes the 3' area.

For reference, 3ft is the size between the boundary line, and the corner of the 3pt line.

So essentially, it's exactly the same as within arm's length. In fact, most NBA players have arms bigger than 3ft

And even if he were right about this vagueness loophole allowing "paint-camping"... He'd still be wrong because it would still violate so many other rules part of Illegal Defense.

For example;


g. A defensive player must follow his weakside offensive man, switch to another man at an area of intersection, or double-team the ball. There is no 2.9-second time limit on this play. A defensive player must execute one of these three options or he is guilty of an illegal defense immediately.


h. A defensive player must follow his strongside offensive man, switch to another man at an area of intersection, or double-team the ball. There is a 2.9-second time limit on this play which commences when the defensive player reaches the weakside and "opens up."

[IllegalD]

I'm Still Ballin continually sh*tting in 3balls mouth.

:dancin :applause: :banana:

Cue thesis-length, gif-filled, 3ball cut-&-paste meltdown in 3...2...1...

[Im Still Ballin]

TLDR: The original rule is essentially the same as the one today. You can be in the paint indefinitely if your opponent is determined as posted up, which is when he is "within 3 feet of the free throw lane line."

You might think at this point, that if his man is determined posted up, then you can stay in the paint forever anywhere in the paint, BUT you'd clearly be violating many other parts of the full Illegal Defense guidelines.

[Im Still Ballin]

Illegal Defense Official NBA Guidelines
A. Technical Foul

Section I-Illegal Defenses

a. Illegal defenses which violate the rules and accepted guidelines set forth are not permitted in the NBA.

b. When the offensive team is in its backcourt with the ball, no illegal defense violation may occur.

(1) Penalties for Illegal Defenses.

On the first violation, the 24-second clock is reset to 24. On the second and succeeding violations, the clock is reset to 24 and one free throw (technical) is attempted. When a violation occurs during the last 24 seconds of any period (including overtime), regardless of the number of prior offenses, one free throw is awarded for the violation. (On all violations, the ball is awarded to the offended team out-of-bounds at the free throw line extended on either side of the court.)

EXCEPTION: If a field goal attempt is simultaneous with a whistle for an illegal violation, and that attempt is successful, the basket shall count and the violation is nullified.

(2) Guidelines for Defensive Coverage

a. Weakside defenders may be in a defensive position within the "outside lane" with no time limit, and within the "Inside lane" for 2.9 seconds. The defensive player must re-establish a position with both feet out of the "Insidelane" to be considered as having legally cleared the restricted area.

b. When a defensive player is guarding an offensive player who is adjacent (posted-up) to the 3-second lane, the defensive player may be within the "inside lane" area with no time limitations. An offensive player shall be ruled as "postedup" when he is within 3' of the free throw lane line. A hash mark on the baseline denotes the 3' area.

c. An offensive player without the ball may not be double-teamed from the weakside. Only the player with the ball may be double-teamed by a weakside defensive player. Weakside and strongside restrictions shall extend from the baseline to the midcourt line.

d. When an offensive player, with or without the ball, takes a position above the foul line, the defensive player may be no farther (toward the baseline) than the "middle defensive area." Defensive player(s) may enter and re-enter the "lower defensive area" as many times as desired, so long as he does not exceed 2.9 seconds.

e. When a weakside offensive player is above the free throw line extended, his defensive man may be no lower than the "middle defensive area" extended for more than 2.9 seconds. When a weakside offensive player is below the free throw line extended, his defensive man must vacate the "inside lane" unless his man is positioned adjacent (posted up) to the threesecond lane extended. When a weakside offensive player is above the tip of the circle, his defensive man must be no lower than the "upper defensive area" for more than 2.9 seconds. When a strongside offensive player is above the tip of the circle extended, his defensive man may be no lower than the free-throw line extended (upper defensive area) for more than 2.9 seconds. When a strongside offensive player is above the free throw line extended "upper defensive area, his defensive man may be no lower than the "middle defensive area" for more than 2.9 seconds. When an offensive player on the strongside is below the free throw line extended "middle defensive area," his defender must take a position below the free throw line extended immediately or double-team the ball as soon as the ball crosses midcourt. There is no 2.9 time limit. If the offensive player relocates to a position above the free throw line extended, his defender may take a similar position no farther than one defensive area away within 2.9 seconds. In all of the situations above, a defensive player may always aggressively double-team the ball regardless of his previous position on the floor.

f. When an offensive player takes a position above the tip of the circle, with or without the ball, the defensive player may be no farther (toward the baseline) from him than the "upper defensive area."

g. A defensive player must follow his weakside offensive man, switch to another man at an area of intersection, or double-team the ball. There is no 2.9-second time limit on this play. A defensive player must execute one of these three options or he is guilty of an illegal defense immediately.

h. A defensive player must follow his strongside offensive man, switch to another man at an area of intersection, or double-team the ball. There is a 2.9-second time limit on this play which commences when the defensive player reaches the weakside and "opens up."

i. A double team is when two or more defenders aggressively pursue a player with the ball to a position close enough for a held ball to occur. Failure to comply with paragraphs (a) through (i) above will result in an Illegal Defense violation.

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gif source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM_eCnTNt1Q

[Im Still Ballin]

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[3ball]

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............................................Defens ive 3 Seconds


Zone defense is not allowed inside today's paint - inside the 16 x 19 foot paint, defenders must stay within "armslength" (about 3 feet) of an offensive player, or vacate the paint - essentially, defenders can't stay in the lane with no one else around (within armslength).. "Armslength" is the opposite of a zone and the strictest defense possible other than making defenders stand shoulder-to-shoulder, yet this is the policy governing the most important part of the floor - the paint:


"A defensive player is not allowed inside the key area for more than three seconds unless he is guarding the player with the ball or is actively guarding any opponent. To be considered actively guarding, a defender must be within an arms length of an opponent. If an offensive player moves through the key, the defender must be within an arms length, and also move along with the offensive player. He can not just stand there and put his arms out to get a new three second count."


In the gif below, notice how Duncan's defender (Pau) is reaching out and touching Duncan - Pau is making sure he remains within "armslength", as stipulated by the defensive 3 second rule.. He isn't allowed to wait under the rim, since that's 8 feet away from Duncan, and out of "armslength".. Since Pau must hug Duncan instead of waiting under the rim, Kawhi gets a wide open, uncontested dunk:


http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/12-01-2015/-GwNKZ.gif



Here's another example - Maurice Speights must follow Tristan Thompson to the block to stay within "armslength", which prevents him from contesting Lebron at the rim - you can see how wide the paint is on this angle (16 feet wide).


https://media.giphy.com/media/qoijGMUGGV4dO/giphy.gif



But in previous eras, defenders WERE allowed to stand under the rim while their man was on the block because defenders could paint-camp "with no time limitation" when their man was within 3 feet of the paint:


2b. When a defensive player is guarding an offensive player who is adjacent (posted-up) to the 3-second lane, the defensive player may be within the "inside lane" area with no time limitations. An offensive player shall be ruled as "postedup" when he is within 3' of the free throw lane line. A hash mark on the baseline denotes the 3' area.


With defenders camping under the rim, Kawhi would NOT have gotten a wide open dunk in previous eras:


http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/12-01-2015/Rc9D-4.gif

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/12-01-2015/mPufIB.gif


Btw, look how much defenders are sagging off their man - yet many ignoramuses think defenders in previous eras had to "follow" their man to the 3-point line - it's pure made-up lies from ignoramuses... Plain and simple... That myth is busted here (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390392), where the rules of the game are explained.
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[3ball]

His argument is that the vagueness in the original 1981 rule didn't specify any distance restrictions/specifications to unlimited time allowed in the key


The old rules DID have specifications, but they didn't make the defender stand right next to their man on the block like today's "armslength" rule does - the old rules specified that a defender could remain in the "inside lane".

The "inside lane" is the 16 x 19 foot area that everyone calls the paint - that means a defender could stand under the rim while their man was 8 feet away on the block - and this happened nearly every possession.

Otoh, today's defender can't stand under the rim while their man is 8 feet away on the block - they must follow their man around the paint and stay within "armslength":


"If an offensive player moves through the key, the defender must be within an arms length, and also move along with the offensive player."






You might think at this point, that if his man is determined posted up, then you can stay in the paint forever anywhere in the paint, BUT you'd clearly be violating many other parts of the full Illegal Defense guidelines.


The rules said a defender could "remain in the inside lane with no time limitation" - obviously, it goes without saying that defenders can't simultaneously violate other rules.. And they didn't need to - there were many instances where defenders could legally paint-camp the way the aforementioned rule stated without violating other rules.

Watch any game from the 80's for about 1 minute and you'll see a center paint-camping under the rim, while his man is 8 feet away on the block.. This can't happen in today's game - the center must go stand next to his man on the block, within "armslength".

[Im Still Ballin]

The old rules DID have specifications, but they didn't make the defender stand right next to their man on the block like today's "armslength" rule does - the old rules specified that a defender could remain in the "inside lane".

The "inside lane" is the 16 x 19 foot area that everyone calls the paint - that means a defender could stand under the rim while their man was 8 feet away on the block - and this happened nearly every possession.

Otoh, today's defender can't stand under the rim while their man is 8 feet away on the block - they must follow their man around the paint and stay within "armslength":


"If an offensive player moves through the key, the defender must be within an arms length, and also move along with the offensive player."




The rules said a defender could "remain in the inside lane with no time limitation" - obviously, it goes without saying that defenders can't simultaneously violate other rules.. And they didn't need to - there were many instances where defenders could legally paint-camp the way the aforementioned rule stated without violating other rules.

Watch any game from the 80's for about 1 minute and you'll see a center paint-camping under the rim, while his man is 8 feet away on the block.. This can't happen in today's game - the center must go stand next to his man on the block, within "armslength".
Given their opponent is determined post player by being within 3 feet of the free throw lane line. However, all other rules of Illegal defense still applies. You have to be either guarding a man, or doubling the ball.