RealGM

Hi all! I've been watching basketball for a while as just a casual homer so to speak (Raps fan, please don't cringe lol). I'm watching the lakers/hawks game and I noticed an offensive foul called on lamar odom when he was trying to draw contact against josh smith while smith was right in the middle of the circle under the basket. I was under the impression that any foul inside that circle would be a defensive foul. Can anyone watching the game clarify this for me so I know why it wasn't a defensive foul on Josh Smith?

Thanx!

lamar odom began his offensive move from inside the circle so the rule doesn't apply.

dcash4 wrote:lamar odom began his offensive move from inside the circle so the rule doesn't apply.

therefore Lamar Odom got called for the offensive foul.

math logic. I love this game.

i thought this was going to be about if there is a mercy rule.

i sure wish there was earlier in the year in the celtic v. knicks game

The circle rule was put into place to stop players from trying to draw charges by running in front of the basket whenever someone starts to penetrate. If a player is standing in the circle before a player makes his offensive move towards the basket then it's a charge. Also, one can draw a charge on the man they are guarding inside the circle but a help defender can not.

I thought if a players lower their shoulder its an offensive foul either way

The funny thing about that play is that Lamar only drew the charge cos he wanted to reset and use his left (instead of his right to lay it in)

no, he drew the charge cause he wanted to put his body on josh smith so he wouldn't get blocked.

Kobay wrote:I thought if a players lower their shoulder its an offensive foul either way

I'm pretty certian it doesn't matter if the guy in the circle is a rotating help defender and not the "assigned" man.