Owie! My toe hurts! Stop the break!

[UncleBill]

Recently, especially this year, I have noticed refs stopping play for a Defensive player down at their end of the court, taking the advantage away from the Offense. As I recall, in the past a ref would only stop play if the Defensive player were being physically assaulted by enraged spectators, and maybe then only if he was losing badly, or his arm had become detached and was spraying the court with blood, or something of that degree. Now it seems having a shoe come loose can stop what amounts to a break with numbers for the O.

While I can see this (assumed) rule change in the light of erring on the side of caution if the guy really IS hurt, and needs medical help, it still rubs me the wrong way every time I see it happen.

Firstly, is this truly a rule change? (Yes, I could look in up, but you guys are smart and faster than that.) And secondly, what is your opinion on this current state of handholding and coddling of Defensive players and the subsequent taking the advantage away from the Offense?

[shotrocksplitter]

This pissed me off too! The ball was already past the player, on the break, when the whistle blew. The man-up team ALWAYS gets a possession of advantage with the non-foul injury. ALWAYS. Yet we had a break held back for a nothing 'injury'.

Obviously I only gripe about the significance of the injury because it was quickly proven to be absolutely nothing. However, the point of halting the flow of the game to the clear disadvantage of the full-strength team is a problem.

[allenmurray]

If the player who is down is in danger of being further hurt, or is gushing arterial blood, stop the game. Otherwise, wait until the offensive team has finished thier play. To do otherwise will create an incentive to "fake" injuries. Pretty soon it will be like soccer, the only sport I have ever seen where someone can be carried off the field on a stretcher after writing in agony, then run back into the game three minutes later.

[JStuart]

If the player who is down is in danger of being further hurt, or is gushing arterial blood, stop the game. Otherwise, wait until the offensive team has finished thier play. To do otherwise will create an incentive to "fake" injuries. Pretty soon it will be like soccer, the only sport I have ever seen where someone can be carried off the field on a stretcher after writing in agony, then run back into the game three minutes later.

Sounds like some of the posters on IC....writing in agony.

[mkirsh]

Pretty soon it will be like soccer, the only sport I have ever seen where someone can be carried off the field on a stretcher after writing in agony, then run back into the game three minutes later.

Or Paul Pierce in the game 1 of the NBA finals

[rsvman]

To my knowledge there has been no rule change. The referees are not supposed to stop play for an injury unless the player is in danger of being further injured or the injury is significant and needs IMMEDIATE medical attention (very rare in basketball). Therefore, when an injury occurs on one end of the court and a break is occurring toward the other end, play is NOT to be halted.

[brumby041]

To my knowledge there has been no rule change. The referees are not supposed to stop play for an injury unless the player is in danger of being further injured or the injury is significant and needs IMMEDIATE medical attention (very rare in basketball). Therefore, when an injury occurs on one end of the court and a break is occurring toward the other end, play is NOT to be halted.

Interesting.

IIRC, this happened at least twice in the last game; however, I don't think it was injury. I think it was moisture on the floor. (Of which there was plenty.)

The sequence, as I remember it*, was as follows:

1. Lawson drives the length of the court and scores a layup.
2. Duke inbounds to Smith, who goes the other way and hits a running jumper/floater.
3. Lawson drives the length of the court and scores a layup and falls down, mostly out of bounds.
4. Duke inbounds to Smith who [whistle].
5. Duke inbounds to face the fully-prepared half-court UNC defense. Much slipping and sliding occurs on our end. Turnover.
6. Repeat #3.
7. Repeat #4.

Irritated me to no end, because we were trying to come back and it seemed like our runouts were being stopped because Lawson was falling down after his shots.:mad:

*Disclaimer: I had my dark blue glasses on, and I have no love for Lawson or the Holes; judge my recollection accordingly.

[jjasper0729]

there were two times that I remember, once in the first half, once in the second half, where the net got hung up on the rim. That requires a stoppage to get it down before play continues. Not sure if that's when you're talking about

[Neals384]

there were two times that I remember, once in the first half, once in the second half, where the net got hung up on the rim. That requires a stoppage to get it down before play continues. Not sure if that's when you're talking about

When I went to college (long time ago, not a major college program) we would sit under the basket and pray for a stuck net. As soon as the ball crossed mid-court, I would jump up and pull the net back into position. Might not be in the rule book, but no way did any ref ever blow a whistle for a stuck net.

[UncleBill]

The Chapa Hea game stoppage with Lawson brought me to make this thread, but I have been noticing it in games this year in particular, and not seen coaches go ballistic. If there has been no rule change, there seems to be a shift in the refs' decision making tree. (And no, the original entry was not about a stuck net, Lawson had a flat tire, for all I could tell.)