Flop Question

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by lmeadski

Player A has LGP on Player B. Player A anticipates contact from B and begins to flop but has not moved feet. B Makes contact with A as A is falling to the floor in a flop. Both players end up on floor in a heap. Has A lost his LGP via his flop or has B incurred a charge?

For me it's a matter of judgment. You have to judge how much contact, and also how it might have turned out if there hadn't been any flop. If there's no contact at all, I think it's a great no-call. But if there's some contact, was it initiated by the dribbler, or was it incidental? Would it have clearly been more if the defender hadn't flopped? If you think you can get away with penalizing the defender for flopping by a no-call, I think that's the best choice, imo. When the defender complains you say, "Do you know it's illegal to try to make it look worse than it really was?" or "You leaned away, and the contact was incidental". But if the flop starts pretty late, and there is enough contact, or clearly would have been, for a call, you can call it, but then say quietly to the defender, "That was close to a flop. Be sure you stand and take it next time."