Charge or Block? Kevin Durant on Shane Battier

[BKing10]

if KD is wearing a Paul Pierce jersey its a charge

[Doctor MJ]

Wait why is Battier allowed to shuffle his feet when taking a charge

Because he was there in time. You can moonwalk all you want when you're in front of an offensive player, you just can't move into them. Battier was there, he can shuffle all the damn well he wants because he had established his position.

Um, why on earth would he be shuffling his feat if he was already in position? He's shuffling his feet (and leaning) until the very last moment so as to make sure Durant can't avoid him. It's strategic positioning which goes against the very purpose of what "being set" is supposed to mean?

[83SixersRocked]

block. IMO whenever there's a question in a play like that (and i dont believe there was with this one) the benefit of the doubt should go to the offensive player. Somebody runs from a 90 degree angle and tries to stop right in front of you? that's not defense.

[Doctor MJ]

If Battier was allowed to challenge the spot without forfeiting his right to position and turning his play into a defensive foul I'm sure he would be ecstatic. You describe what seems to be an imaginary option and blame the defender for using their only legal one. The defender has to be waiting in position before the offensive player and cannot make many movements without fouling.

The defender "pretending to be a statue" should make it easier for the offensive player, I do not see any excuse making the offensive player being a victim here.

The only reason why Battier can't actually challenge Durant's so far along in his process before Battier becomes involved with him (and to some degree Battier is so unathletic). It's not like there's some rule preventing real defense, it's just that Battier not in a position to actually do real defense, so he does this instead.

Re: "should make it easier". Of course it makes it easier for the player to score if a foul isn't called. That's the problem. I want to see the defender actually himself make it harder for the offensive player, not do nothing and hope a ref bails him out.

[druggas]

Don't shoot the messenger yo. Maybe next time, oKKKc bandwagoner.

Way to sum up your inability to have an objective discussion. I don't have any connection to OKC at all. I've been a Battier fan for a long time. You assume I'm biased only makes clear that your bias is extreme.

Sorry, thought you had to be an oKKKc bandwagoner because no way anyone would think that's a block otherwise.

You're a myopic hack!

[Doctor MJ]

If you pause the video at the 0:19 mark Durant is coming down on the step before jumping while Battier is in his "final" position. Durant has the option of pulling up, taking another step in another direction, but he jumped straight into Battier.

Watch it from the other angle, he DOES pull up. His forward speed decreases dramatically with that last step as he launches way up and shoots the ball without coming in contact with Battier. He still hits Battier though because he's unable to come to a complete stop given the forward momentum he had before Battier was in the way.

I'll grant though: There are times when a player chooses to absolutely barrel forward on that last step, and like any case where an offensive player creates the contact with the intent of getting the foul call, I don't think a foul should be called on the defense.

In my first post here I said that this particular dilemma is about the only place where refs are too kind to defenders. On the whole a scorer like Durant gains more than he loses from the refs no question, but in this case, I don't see how you can look at what he did and say it was somehow wrong.

[dice]

the upward shooting motion clearly begins at the :25 mark prior to leaving the ground. neither foot of battier's final position has been established. both feet as well as the body shift to the right after the shooting motion begins

it's a block. so close though, that a no call would have been justified IMO, particularly as the shot was away prior to contact

[Mobat]

Wait why is Battier allowed to shuffle his feet when taking a charge

Because he was there in time. You can moonwalk all you want when you're in front of an offensive player, you just can't move into them. Battier was there, he can shuffle all the damn well he wants because he had established his position.

Um, why on earth would he be shuffling his feat if he was already in position? He's shuffling his feet (and leaning) until the very last moment so as to make sure Durant can't avoid him. It's strategic positioning which goes against the very purpose of what "being set" is supposed to mean?

Because he established position initially, and then Durant did nothing to make him lose his legal defensive position. You have to get your head and 1 shoulder past a player once they've established legal guarding position on you for them to lose it. Durant never did this. It's a charge.

[fishfuego.]

In no way shape or form that's a block.
It was a CHARGE.
That's the main reason they created the no charge zone, and that's because defenders were getting set under a player in the air under the basket and were getting the charge call. The offensive player has too many favorable rules already.
KD was no where near the rim, and Battier was clearly set when KD landed, outside the charge zone. KD should have never left his feet to jump in the air before the aforementioned no charge zone. By the rules today, that's a charge.

[dice]

In no way shape or form that's a block.
It was a CHARGE.
That's the main reason they created the no charge zone, and that's because defenders were getting set under a player in the air under the basket and were getting the charge call. The offensive player has too many favorable rules already.
KD was no where near the rim, and Battier was clearly set when KD landed, outside the charge zone. KD should have never left his feet to jump in the air before the aforementioned no charge zone. By the rules today, that's a charge.

today's rules don't allow jump shots?

battier was in a different position on the floor when contact occurred than he was when durant began his shot. he moves both feet and his body to the right after it's too late to legally do so. it's a clear-cut block

and threads like this re-confirm that refs don't get the respect they deserve. even with slo-mo replay we can't agree

[GSP]

Im rooting for Lebron in this series so the Heat I guess but that was a block.

[DRose4MVP]

Charge for sure. Battier got in position in plenty of time.

I see you trollin'

[Sky_Knicks]

Blind people and trolls aside, its blatantly obvious this is a block. And so out goes the "But but but Lebron's foul doesn't matter because KD should have fouled out already !!"

KD would have tied the game with the freethrows and Miami would have once again crumbled under pressure. Lame ass refs.

Edit: Also, it's amazing how many people have now changed their answer to block LOLLLL. What the hell were you doing when they showed the replay ?? Open your damn eyes

[Prop]

i lean towards a charge but it's a super-tough call to make in itself, then adding the timing and the players involved? it's easy to talk about it after the fact...and after watching it 25 times in slow-motion.

if it was like mid-way through the 2nd quarter and kd had 2 fouls, then i can see that call going the other way.

[Voice_of_Reason]

should be a no call.

that should not be a no call. A defender can't keep moving underneath a player already in the air. I'm fine with no calls when a guy flops, see harden on LeBron spin move, but when a guy tries to draw charge and fails, block every time.