[eroe39]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee

Eli,I can see the points you are trying to make,but...!Unless I am reading the above wrong,you have an airborne shooter who is actually knocked to the floor.It sounds like it's not a case of contact on the arm,body,etc., or something that maybe doesn't basically affect the shot.That's judgement whether you call it,or pass.Where do you draw the line when the defender maybe makes a reasonable block,but the shooter then get's knocked down or put into the basketball support?The shooter is awful vulnerable when he is up there,and when he left his feet he had a clear path to the basket.Sometimes it doesn't take that much contact to put him flat on his back.That can be one of the most dangerous plays in basketball.Your thoughts?

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Dec 18th, 2001 at 05:14 AM]

Jurassic Ref, good point. Let me first reiterate that I believe the defender is allowed to make contact after the block, thus the contact does not affect the shot. However, if the defender goes through the body first and then blocks the ball well afterwards I would have a foul. On the play you described I would probably have a foul. It seems that the play you are talking about is when a player has a breakaway and then the defender comes from behind and blocks the shot first and then the body contact is severe and causes him to go to the floor and hit the support. If the contact is severe throw my theory out the window and call a foul. On the original play that crew brought up I was thinking more along the lines of an Allen Iverson trying to weave his way through Robert Horry and Shaq and Iverson is off balance putting up some crazy shot that Shaq deposits in the fifth row and then Shaq makes body contact with Iverson which sends Iverson to the floor only because he was off balance anyway. A foul here would not fit the game and would be a bail out call.