Another Inquiry
 

Once again, help me with this one out of curiosity. Kind of hard to explain but here goes:

Ball inbounded late in game after made basket and timeout under opponents basket. Ball is rolled in bounds as is done so many times in order preserve clock. Player in bounds walking beside the rolling ball reaches down and gives it an added little push-roll to help it along a little further for some reason as the clock correctly started when it was first touched. He then picks it up and takes off with it. Can you do that? Excuse my ignorance but just curious.

Nothing illegal there.

Agree, as long as the ball was rolling and not bouncing. If it was bouncing, you could justify an illegal (double) dribble.

Sure.

I'll be the clubhouse lawyer here

I'm assume picks up and takes off with it means starts his dribble.

Coaching Thoughts
 

Agree this action doesn't contravene any rules...But...
from a coaching/strategy viewpoint rolling the ball is counter-productive.

Reasons against:
increased chance of TI violation,
receiver's head is down and can't see defenders approach,
wasted time and motion to bend down

Reasons for:
????

This has long been a pet peeve and it keeps being repeated mindlessly by every generation of players.

Yea, helps it along with a couple of taps, then picks it up and starts dribbling. No idea why. It was rolled in very slowly.

Coach, I'm assuming you're slightly kidding here. The obvious reason is for the team that's behind, late in a game, to save a few precious seconds by having the clock start when the ball's closer to half court. Do that a couple of possessions, and pretty soon that team has saved perhaps enough time to get at least one more possession out of the game.

Of course, when I see it done in the first half, I use just as many question marks as you did.

Why?

I think (although I'm not sure) the coach's point is the actual rolling is a problem. In order to actually roll the ball, the thrower must either touch the ball as it hits inbounds, or start the roll from OOB. Either is a violation.
Even if he manages to do it legally, the problems he mentions with the receiver still exist.

It seems to me it would be better to throw it so it bounces and the receiver doesn't have to bend over to get it.

Ahhh ok that makes sense.

Not kidding. Why roll the ball as opposed to bounce?
(BTW, reformed coach)

Well, ok, now it makes sense. And, you're right, it doesn't make sense. :)

Carry on.

Any time saved by rolling the ball is lost by the A1 then having to return upright and rescan the court. Why not just run to that spot and have the ball thrown directly to you?

Perhaps defense?

The rolled or bounced ball lets the offense gauge when they need to pick up the ball based on the proximity of the defense. The long direct pass is probably not open.