Question for Dviss about 3 in the key

So one thing I'm still not clear on: can you have 3 in the key called on you when you don't have the ball? I always thought it was called mostly on guys who are trying to get the best position for rebounding the ball.


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Most certainly. It's usually called on players without the ball.

 

I seem to remember it being called a lot on players just as they get the ball after being in the key for more than 3 seconds, whether it's from a pass or a rebound.

 

Exactly. They've been the key maybe 3.5-4 secs and then they get the ball. That's when you whistle it.

The rebound call is usually called right when the shot goes up though.

Also, lets say they are retreating from the key after being inside for 3 or so secs. I wouldn't put a whistle that either because they are losing their advantage.

 

That just means your leash got hung up on something

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_rights

 

This is also the principle of Verticality. You own your spot on the court from the floor to the ceiling.

 

Is still in the key.

 

advantage/disadvantage being the key

The best refs in any sport, not just the NBA, swallow their whistle unless an advantage/disadvantage situation is created. As @dviss1 said "you'd see a ref blowing his whistle" - and that's not an understatement. Ron Garrettson is undoubtedly my favorite ref in the NBA, I'm biased- he's a great dude- but more than that he doesn't blow his whistle all game long. If you are ever lucky enough to be around me when Zach Zarba is reffing a Blazers game- you'll undoubtedly hear me cursing the basketball gods. That man is a travesty heaped on the officiating profession. If you're ever curious as to who the decent officials are there's a nice handy dandy list here:

NBA Refs breakout

(You'll notice quickly where Zarba ranks...)

 

Good referees are invisible (even though they're not stripes they're a bullseye) until they need to be seen.

 

dviss1 is doing a very good job of explaining and interpreting the rule. I ref as well and he is absolutely right that you can make the call much more often by the letter of the law. Advantage comes into play and I don't know of any ref that is blowing the whistle right at the 3.0 second mark. Traveling is another one that is subject to some leniency although I think the NBA refs let that one go much too far at times.

 

Sure if you aren't smart. All you have to do is lift that one foot up and you men in stripes have to start counting to three again......

 

Moving pick seems to be another. I thought the Blazers got called for a lot of them on Tuesday compared to Milwaukee.
And I saw the Bucks doing it quite a bit as well.

 

You may have amazing hang time, but do you have David Carradine hang time?

 

This is why I never aspire to be an NBA official. You have to let too many travels go. I'm too much of a basketball purist for that.

 

Lebron would lead the league in turnovers if they called the travel

 

This one is not hard if you keep an "open look" (looking at the players from the side not from the back). You can't referee looking at asses and elbows.

 

And palming.

 

I would really hope refs aren't looking at asses..no problems with elbows