That Nicka wrote:The quality of centers argument is dumb as is the league is soft argument... 3 seconds in the key on defense is a bigger reason
I've mentioned before that this is a huge HUGE misunderstanding from what I can only assume are younger posters. The defensive 3 secodn rule has ALWAYS been there, including in the era of big shotblockers.
Pre-2002? Whenever the zone was allowed, and the three second rule instituted, centers STILL could not lurk in the lane 3 seconds. That was the illegal defense rule. You had to be always guarding your own man, staying withing reasonable reach of him, or it was illegal. Big centers couldn't just lurk around in the paint unless their man was standing there too. Which is pretty much the same as today. You can be in there 3 seconds today too just as long as your man is there. Basically the three second rule isn't anything new at all. All it is is the last bit of the illegal defesne rules still remaining.
Here is the current 3 second rule:
is assessed when a member of the defending team spends more than three seconds in the free throw lane (also known as the 16-foot lane, or colloquially as "in the paint")
while not actively guarding an opponent.
Here is the former illegal defense rule (notice all the rules regarding 2.9 seconds):
(2) Guidelines for Defensive Coverage
a. Weakside defenders may be in a defensive position within the
"outside lane" with no time limit, and within the "Inside lane" for 2.9
seconds. The defensive player must re-establish a position with both
feet out of the "Insidelane" to be considered as having legally cleared
the restricted area.
b. When a defensive player is guarding an offensive player who
is adjacent (posted-up) to the 3-second lane, the defensive player may
be within the "inside lane" area with no time limitations.
An offensive player shall be ruled as "postedup" when he is within 3'
of the free throw lane line. A hash mark on the baseline denotes the 3'
area.
c. An offensive player without the ball may not be double-teamed
from the weakside. Only the player with the ball may be double-teamed
by a weakside defensive player.
Weakside and strongside restrictions shall extend from the baseline to
the midcourt line.
d. When an offensive player, with or without the ball, takes a
position above the foul line, the defensive player may be no farther
(toward the baseline) than the "middle defensive area." Defensive
player(s) may enter and re-enter the "lower defensive area" as many
times as desired, so long as he does not exceed 2.9 seconds.
e. When a weakside offensive player is above the free throw line
extended, his defensive man may be no lower than the "middle defensive
area" extended for more than 2.9 seconds.
When a weakside offensive player is below the free throw line extended,
his defensive man must vacate the "inside lane" unless his man is
positioned adjacent (posted up) to the threesecond lane extended.
When a weakside offensive player is above the tip of the circle, his
defensive man must be no lower than the "upper defensive area" for more
than 2.9 seconds. When a strongside offensive player is above the tip
of the circle extended, his defensive man may be no lower than the
free-throw line extended (upper defensive area) for more than 2.9
seconds.
When a strongside offensive player is above the free throw line
extended "upper defensive area, his defensive man may be no lower than
the "middle defensive area" for more than 2.9 seconds.
When an offensive player on the strongside is below the free throw line
extended "middle defensive area," his defender must take a position
below the free throw line extended immediately or double-team the ball
as soon as the ball crosses midcourt. There is no 2.9 time limit.
If the offensive player relocates to a position above the free throw
line extended, his defender may take a similar position no farther than
one defensive area away within 2.9 seconds.
In all of the situations above, a defensive player may always
aggressively double-team the ball regardless of his previous position
on the floor.
f. When an offensive player takes a position above the tip of
the circle, with or without the ball, the defensive player may be no
farther (toward the baseline) from him than the "upper defensive area."
g. A defensive player must follow his weakside offensive man,
switch to another man at an area of intersection, or double-team the
ball. There is no 2.9-second time limit on this play. A defensive
player must execute one of these three options or he is guilty of an
illegal defense immediately.
h. A defensive player must follow his strongside offensive man,
switch to another man at an area of intersection, or double-team the
ball. There is a 2.9-second time limit on this play which commences
when the defensive player reaches the weakside and "opens up."
i. A double team is when two or more defenders
aggressively pursue a player with the ball to a position close enough for a held ball to occur.
Failure to comply with paragraphs (a) through (i) above will result in an Illegal Defense violation.