Charge/Block question
 

This afternoon I had a disagreement with a colleague at lunch. We were debating if what Shaq does posting up is a charge, block, or no call. My colleague said that when Shaq pushes people back with his butt that is a charge. I disagreed. It seems he wants Shaq punished for having a clear weight advantage and able to use some it to get position or post up. Is what Shaq does with his caboose any different then a smaller forward pushing back with his back?

Bottom line to what I am asking- When Shaq pushes people back with his butt is that a charge? The defender is behind him and not in front.

Thoughts? I bolded a part I thought was relevant that would make it seem like it was not a charge.

This is from NBA.com.-A block/charge foul occurs when a defender tries to get in front of his man to stop him from going in that direction. If he does not get into a legal defensive position and contact occurs, it is a blocking foul. If he gets to a legal position and the offensive player runs into him it is an offensive foul. In both situations, if the contact is minimal, no foul may be called. To get into a legal position defending against the dribbler, the defender just needs to get in front of him. On a drive to the basket, the defender must get to his position before the shooter starts his upward shooting motion. For most other cases, the defender must get into position and allow enough distance for the offensive player to stop and/or change direction.

Most here don't work the NBA, so the way it's called there might not match the answers you get here.

That said, if the defender has a legal position, it's a foul for another player to push / force the defender out of that position (displacement).

Now, if the offensive player "makes contact" and the defnesive player voluntarily "gives ground," that's a legal play.

Front refers to the direction he is going, and is not related to any part of the body.

I am writing as a curious fan, who created quite a debate in the lunch room today.

Just seems to be you can't call a charging foul on a man who at times has a 100 pound advantage and is posting up. If the defender is behind him and is getting manhandled, how do you call an offensive foul?

Easy. The defender (or any player for that matter) is entitled to their current spot on the floor when it has been legally obtained. If the offensive player makes contact that displaces them from their legally obtained position, that's an offensive (player control or team control) foul by rule.

By blowing the whistle and pointing the other way. ;)

Size doesn't mean the rules don't apply to him.

You're dangerously close to going from writing as "a curious fan" to writing as a "fan-boy." The former is welcomed; the latter, not so much.

But how is dribbling towards the basket, back turned, a foul? At what point does the offensive player then no longer have the right to make an attempt to the basket.

Are you then saying once a defender is covering a man, all attempts to move towards the hoop are a charge? If a guy like Shaq or Dwight Howard dribble with their butt first how is that different then Kobe going straight on?

Seems to me there is no standard nor is there set way.

If the defender has a legal position, then the offensive player cannot displace the defender. That's true whether the offiensive player is facing the basket or "backing down" the defender. The offensive player must stop or go around.

Illegal contact is illegal contact. If the defender has established himself in the path of the dribbler or is in his legally acquired posted up position, if the offensive player dislodges him or the contact is illegal a foul has occured. It does not matter when the contact is with his back, shoulder, butt, arm, ear or nose, illegal contact is illegal contact and is a foul.

Think of it this way. You drive a small and you are stopped at a stop light. There is a car in front of you. A real BIG car. All cars are not moving. The car in front of you decides to put the car in reverse and smashes into you. Who is at fault?:)
Now return to your regular scheduled program.

Forget front and back. It's all about the path of the player. If the defender establishes himself in that path and is run over, the foul is on the offense.

There is a standard and set way under high school, college and international rules. The NBA? Not so much.

I've been involved with basketball officiating for over 50 years and I don't have a clue what a "foul' is in the NBA.

Isn't that when a non-star player impedes a star player in any way, legally or illegally?

Because "manhandling" isn't legal. How far do you think it's ok to push? I can tell you I would call a lot of those "moves" fouls if they happened in my high school games.

I don't really understand the question? :confused:

If a defender gets a legal position and an offensive player causes displacement, there can only be a charge or no call. When the rules say get in front of the defender, they don't mean one has to go face to face. They mean get in front of the offensive player's path.