Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyMac
It's just that there are a few interpretations (see above) that stress the importance of playing with five when five are "available", and a few that point out an occasional exception of having to "sit a tick".
|
What does "available" actually mean?
I think that we can all agree that bench personnel that are disqualified or injured (also illness) are certainly not available.
Can players be deemed unavailable if they don't "sit a tick"?
They certainly don't have to "sit a tick" if they need to be the fifth player on the court due to another player's injury.
They certainly don't have to "sit a tick" if they were removed and need to shoot free throws as part of a correctable error.
Maybe Altor is correct about the "asthma" interpretation because the coach has a remedy to get his fifth player in the game with a timeout, even if it's an excessive timeout, whereas there is no remedy for another (sixth) player's injury, or the necessity of shooting free throws as part of a correctable error.
In any case, I believe that a team will never be "forced" (see 2018-19 IAABO Refresher Exam question #41 updated answer) to take a timeout to comply with the five player rule, the team has choices.