Is it legal for a shot to be blocked after a foul has been called?
 

Here to settle an argument with a friend.

According to NBA rules, is it legal for another player to block a shot after his teammate committed a foul on a shooter? Example: Kyrie Irving is fouled by Chris Paul during a layup attempt...can Deandre Jordan block the shot on its way up after the whistle? Or would it then be considered goaltend/interference since the play is already dead?

Thanks!

Legal at any level of the game.

Goaltending is touching the ball while it's on it's downward flight with a chance to go into the basket.

Basket interference is touching the ball or the basket while the ball is in the cylinder or touching the rim.

Legally blocking a shot is neither of those.

I hope you got it right!

NBA Case Book (2015-2016)

172. A player of Team B blocks a field goal attempt after the whistle has been sounded for a personal foul. Is this goaltending?

No. A blocked shot by Team B after the whistle has sounded is part of a continuous defensive movement. So long as Player B does not violate the goaltending rule, it is a legal defensive play. RULE 11 - SECTION I

No rules reference from my couch, but the long and short of it is that the ball does not become dead when the foul by the defense occurs after the shooter has begun the habitual motion (def. of continuous motion). So if the ball is not dead, it is perfectly susceptible to being blocked.

If so, tip your cap to the blocker, but the shooter still gets two free throws.

Had goaltending or defensive BI occurred in this scenario, award the points and shoot one free throw.

And, if the foul is before the habitual motion, the ball is dead, so it's not a try, and it's legal to "block" the ball.

I suppose one can certainly come up with some "unsporting" scenario surrounding this, but that's an entirely different set of rules involved.

I can't think of any way to get to an unsporting act just for blocking the shot after the whistle that would otherwise be legal. The defense gets to play defense as long as the ball is live. The only way I'd have anything is if there were specific infractions committed in the process of blocking the shot independent of the whistle.

As a hypothetical... A1 has the ball at the FTE line, back turned towards the baskwt. Team A coach asks for and is granted a timeout. Well after the request is granted the TO, A1 shoots towards A basket and B1 blocks the ball into the stands.

I'm a lot more inclined to have an issue with A1 here than B1 ... if I'm moved to care about this one at all, that is.

"Go get the ball B1"

Yep, and I have no issue giving a T if he doesn't.

The context of the original play was a whistle for a foul in the act of shooting.

This is a very different situation.

I guess you could tell them both that the one who doesn't go get it gets a T....that will get them racing to it. ;)

Nothing.