RealGM

Can I use my forearm to push out a player from the block/paint BEFORE he catches the ball, i had an argument with a friend the other day who claimed that you may only hold your ground/put a hand on him, not push the guy out.

How does it work NBA?
FIBA?
By my judgement it is allowed; unless it's constant application of force and not bumping someone

however FIBA rule book is incredibly vague and only says that defensive player may not impede the movement of the offensive player(going by that definition post defense is illegal )

Depending on player sizes and position things maybe called differently but generally its a foul if you extend your forearm into the persons back or if you root(put your leg in between the players leg for leverage) and push a player.

You cant fully extend two arms into a players back and push but really strong guys get you out of a spot without doing that plus you can push with your hips if the isn't shooting.


Oh and when boxing out pushing isn't allowed but depending on how natural it looks people get away with pushing down there all the time.

i'm talking about one folded forearm only, i know using both hands for that etc may be a foul

if i understand correctly what you mean by 'root' - NBA players do that all the time and it's not called a foul, at least not consistently- i even remember watching some video when Jermaine O'Neal advised doing that vs stronger post players(putting your leg under the leg of opponent to force him out of his position.)

I think it depends on the momentum/strength/ and direction of the player. If your arms are folded and he backs into you and then you use that momentum to bounce him in a different direction thats not a foul. However if he is stationary and your just overpowering and uprooting him to where his feet are like dragging I can see that being called a foul but not that often.

I think this kinda explains it? You shouldn't use your arms to push a player out of position, but you definatly can using other parts of you body. I mean its all subjective really though but the reason you should demphasize the use of the hands is that's where ref pay the most attention to: on the ball, momentum, and hands. Anything that interrupts the fluidity of those motions has chance to be called a foul.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/43630 ... asketball/

Yeah rooting is a common practice but I still think its illegal (if I recall a similiar post from theref awhile back correctly).

Anyways to clarify what I mean, basketball is a game that puts am emphasis on position. Players are entitled to the spot they are occupying. However, rarely do players stay in a spot for more then 3 seconds. I don't think you can legally just take a spot from a player (using just strength/power) however you can take that spot using the other players momentum/strength them against into a spot/direction that is better suited to you.

From NBA.com
Section I--Types
a. A player shall not hold, push, charge into, impede the progress of an oppo-nent by extending a hand, forearm, leg or knee or by bending the body into a posi-tion that is not normal. Contact that results in the re-routing of an opponent is a foul which must be called immediately.
EXCEPTIONS:
(3) A defender may apply contact with a forearm to an offensive player with the ball at any time in the Lower Defensive Box. The forearm in the above exceptions is solely for the purpose of main-taining a defensive position.
(4) A defender may position his leg between the legs of an offensive player in a post-up position in the Lower Defensive Box for the purpose of main-taining defensive position. If his foot leaves the floor in an attempt to dis-lodge his opponent, it is a foul immediately.

Anyways a lot of stuff doesn't get called off-ball so the inconsistencies might stem from that or the ref thinking it was incidental. The best defenders sell all their fouls as incidental contact by timing right and fouling the right parts.