Re: how come we still can't agree on what is/is not a travel when we all watch bball?
Because some of us are European and travels are whistled a lot stricter here. When I watch NBA with friends, we easily agree on travels, wether they're called or not. NBA is very inconsistent with this rule, because when it's in the flow of the game, a travel does not have to be called. However, this is very subjective.
When I used to play we had a guy from the USA in our team and he was easily the best player on our team, but he really needed to work on his first step and his finishes because he would travel 3 out of 5 times. To him, that was just how he used to play and according to him he played on a high level (which made sense, he was great).
Re: how come we still can't agree on what is/is not a travel when we all watch bball?
Lots of countries are more strict then the NBA. I'm in Australia and 99% of nba players would be getting called for traveling just with their ball pick ups in the leagues I used to play in growing up. If we talk about NBA calls there's only a few guys who blatantly travel (number 1 culprit is Lebron) who get away with it.
Re: how come we still can't agree on what is/is not a travel when we all watch bball?
because most of these "travel" nazis never played ball in there life or suck at it. good ball players dont have to count steps, we can just tell by motion and rhythm if you traveled or not.
Re: how come we still can't agree on what is/is not a travel when we all watch bball?
Because the vast majority of fans don't know the rules. Like when a player jumps with both legs, or gather dribble. Most fans are just confused.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nathanjizzle
because most of these "travel" nazis never played ball in there life or suck at it. good ball players dont have to count steps, we can just tell by motion and rhythm if you traveled or not.
Re: how come we still can't agree on what is/is not a travel when we all watch bball?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jstern
Because the vast majority of fans don't know the rules. Like when a player jumps with both legs, or gather dribble. Most fans are just confused.
This right here.
Like when NBA players catch the ball and take two/three steps before dribbling? In European leagues, especially minor leagues, you get called for a travel, even when you do that in your own backcourt. I've been watching NBA for a long time and don't b*tch about it, but if you go by the rules, there's a lot of traveling.
It only bothers me in highlights, for instance, when player X makes a "fantastic move" to the basket, but takes 3/4 steps without a call, and then get's praised. Most of the time it's just funny to see what they can get away with. Lots of ISO players tend to jabstep with one foot and then explode of the other, just before their dribble hits the ground. Technically it's a travel, but it's hardly ever called.
Re: how come we still can't agree on what is/is not a travel when we all watch bball?
I think there are times where folks incorrectly label traveling calls. Sometimes, people get too caught up in watching a play in super slow motion and attempt to state the steps have begun before the gather has started to take place. At that point they will often make the "three steps" claim and create disagreement among others.
However, in many other cases, NBA players have just learned how they can stretch the traveling rules, like they're inside the Matrix altering physics. If they do it wrong, they'll get whistled. But the NBA has many situations where that extra step seems to be allowed even though it can be pretty obviously a travel by regular basketball rules. As such, those accustomed to regular basketball rules will often see these plays and object.
Personally, more times than not, I haven't had a ton of issues with those extra steps in many cases, for some reason or another. I understand the issues other people have and it seems like something I'd object to, but I just do not for some reason, maybe because there still seems to be a rhythm to the plays where it seems natural. I don't know.
Anyhow, here's a great example of a play that creates divide among fans, from two days ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTN90zD8hsE. To me, it seems pretty obvious that Griffin caught that ball, took a step with his left foot then did a one-two step gather after that. I think it was technically an illegal play. As in, if I tried to pull off that play in high school, the official would have blown the play dead immediately and my teammates all would have had a good laugh for how I tried to get myself a dunk by deciding not to dribble one bit between that spot on the floor and the basket.
One of the few travels I recall actually making me twist my face in disbelief was a play from LeBron back in the mid-2000's. I can't find the video, but he stole the ball from the Celtics in a regular season game and took a solid two or three steps with the ball locked and rocking side to side in both hands, looking like Deion Sanders on a punt return, before eventually deciding to put the ball on the floor and heading in for a windmill dunk. On that play I was like, "Okay, that's a bit much." Otherwise it hasn't been a big point of contention with me. It happens but I live with it.
how come we still can't agree on what is/is not a travel when we all watch bball?
because most of these "travel" nazis never played ball in there life or suck at it. good ball players dont have to count steps, we can just tell by motion and rhythm if you traveled or not.
