Step on Line -- Legal or Illegal?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Juulie Downs

Okay, after chewing on this for a while, here's how it comes down for me.

All straight lines are parts of the areas they define. All curved lines aren't.

However, if we call the 19-foot arc a 2-point line, instead of a 3-point line...

All lines except the semi-circle line are parts of the areas they define.

But if the arc is as above AND if Nevada's right about the semi-circle and its line...

All lines are parts of the areas we define.

We're really getting somewhere! (In case anyone cares!)

Try it a different way....

The OOB lines are OOB. All other markings are part of the area they enclose.

Works for lane lines, FT line, semi-circle, 3-point arc, center circle, and division line (as long as you view it as enclosing the backcourt).


And, yes, Nevada is right. All of the inbounds markings/areas on the court are measured to their outside edge (except the division line which really has no outside/inside edge).

RULE 2 SECTION 6 FREE-THROW LINE

A free-throw line, 2 inches wide, shall be drawn across both circles, which have an outside radius of 6 feet as shown on the appended court diagram. It shall be parallel to the end line and shall have its farthest edge 15 feet from the plane of the face of the backboard.

[Juulie Downs]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Try it a different way....

The OOB lines are OOB. All other markings are part of the area they enclose.

How is that different from what I said? Except yours is more complicated.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Juulie Downs

How is that different from what I said? Except yours is more complicated.

Mine is more complicated?

Seriously, yours are ambiguous at best..."areas we/they define"???

We define inbounds and out-of-bounds. Does the boundary line define inbounds or out-of-bounds?

We define a a 3-point area line. You have to rename the 3-point line to get yours to work. So, isn't it not really part of the area that it defines?

"Enclosed" is entirely unabiguous and doesn't require the renaming of lines.

[Juulie Downs]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Mine is more complicated?

Seriously, yours are ambiguous at best..."areas we/they define"???

We define inbounds and out-of-bounds. Does the boundary line define inbounds or out-of-bounds?

We define a a 3-point area line. You have to rename the 3-point line to get yours to work. So, isn't it not really part of the area that it defines?

"Enclosed" is entirely unabiguous and doesn't require the renaming of lines.

Okay, how about "delineate"? All lines are parts of the areas they delineate. (Thinking all the time that the arc defines the 2-pt area)

.... which actually might be a better way to think about it -- "All shots are 3 points unless they are from within the delineated 2-pt area". Just an intellectual game really, I suppose....

.... I know, Jurassic, I think too much....

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Juulie Downs

Okay, how about "delineate"? All lines are parts of the areas they delineate. (Thinking all the time that the arc defines the 2-pt area)

Delineate is no better than "define" as you have to differentiate between which side of the line is being delineated/defined before it can be understood. Enclose, contain, encompass, etc. all work much better as they all imply an area that is part of the greater area and do not require further defintions (of what areas the lines delineate) to know the meaning.

[Juulie Downs]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Delineate is no better than "define" as you have to differentiate between which side of the line is being delineated/defined before it can be understood. Enclose, contain, encompass, etc. all work much better as they all imply an area that is part of the greater area and do not require further defintions (of what areas the lines delineate) to know the meaning.

Really? Hmmm... It doesn't feel that way to me, but I suppose I'd have to ask around to see how other people hear the words. I mean to me the out-of-bounds line delineates the out-of bounds area, so the line is part of the area it delineates. I don't need to know which edge of the painted line is the actual boundary, because the rule "Lines are part of the areas they delineate" tells me. You're saying you don't hear the words that way.

At least for myself, it gives me a quick reference in my mind, and when asked, I can use it as a beginning point for an explanation.