Originally Posted by
cspan37421
While I agree there's no info yet to conclude he did it intentionally, sometimes defenders do slide the foot under a shooter intentionally, and at least one well-known name admitted it:
https://sports.yahoo.com/jalen-rose-...nba.html?a20=1
I don't think we are likely to know intent without an admission, directly or indirectly (such as to a teammate). But you can infer it to a degree based on how natural you perceive the positioning of the defender. Sticking your feet out wide is pretty standard for boxing out. But if you're not in a box-out situation, why are you doing the hokey pokey out there on the perimeter?
In this case, it was right under the basket. But ... you're not supposed to get under a guy who is in the air (as Christian Laettner how he feels about that). Anyway, it's hard to know a fellow's mind. I'm inclined to think it's unintentional, due to the fast pace of play making it likely a muscle-memory move, and his otherwise good reputation, but it's nearly a toss up.
I’ve seen the play 10 times in the last month. It is not dirty in the slightest. It is not reckless. It may be ‘over eager’, but that’s it.
Giannis went for the rebound cus he wants to help his team. Not sure he cared if it was Kyrie, Durant, or Griffin; he was going to box out and get that rebound. I love that mentality.
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill
President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club