11
votes
Accepted
What is a protected pick?
A protected pick is one which will be traded only if it is below a certain point in the draft order. For example, in the Cousins trade, the first round pick that the Pelicans are sending to the Kings ...
- 24.7k
8
votes
Accepted
What is the average height in the NBA?
Using the data at the NBA's great stats page, I put together:
This indeed has a mean just over 6'7".
Mode as indicated is 6'9".
Median is 6'7".
And a standard deviation of about 3.5" inches just for ...
- 1,958
8
votes
Accepted
Shooting at the wrong hoop beyond the three point line
The FIBA rules have defined how points are awarded for an own goal.
Article 16.2.2
If a player accidentally scores a field goal in his team’s basket, the goal counts 2 points and shall be recorded as ...
- 2,044
8
votes
Accepted
Why did Magic Johnson throw the ball out of bounds after getting the rebound?
The time remaining in the game was on the order of 3 seconds. By holding the ball in that position or trying to dribble, he risked a foul or a basket against.
By quickly clearing to the far end, the ...
Nij♦
- 8,202
8
votes
Accepted
Why do NBA stars keep playing in playoff blowouts?
Wikipedia lists quite a few comebacks from deficits of 25+ points in the 3rd or even early 4th quarter. The odds are certainly small that a team would turn it around, but even a glimmer of hope to ...
- 1,958
8
votes
Accepted
Ethics/commonality of sports teams scoring more points at end of a game they are clearly winning
In professional sport, the rule is pretty much "score as many as you can". To take one recent example of this, Ajax beat VVV-Venlo 13-0 in the Erdedivise (top-level Dutch soccer league) on ...
- 24.7k
8
votes
Why do top NBA stars from USA skip the Olympics?
Because in those players' views, the risks, most notably injury risks either from directly being injured in the Olympics or an increased injury risk the following season due to having less off-season, ...
- 24.7k
7
votes
Is shouting a foul in basketball?
I used the 2016-17 NBA and NCAA (click download PDF) rulebooks, and the 2012-13 Iowa HSAA rulebook (apparently the NFHS rulebook is now pay protected????)
The closest definitive rule in American ...
- 1,958
7
votes
Accepted
Has a point guard ever averaged 1 block a game?
Not since blocks became a recorded stat in 1973-74.
Basketball Reference does not allow querying specifically for point guards as opposed to shooting guards, but very few guards of any kind meet your ...
- 3,296
7
votes
Why do NBA stars keep playing in playoff blowouts?
As it is mentioned in the question, the stars are pulled out with a few minutes left in the game. How early they are pulled depends on the point differential, the coach, and the team's momentum.
In ...
- 11.1k
7
votes
Accepted
What's the purpose of Division Standings in NBA?
Prior to 2016, a team's rankings within their division had an influence on how they are seeded.
In 2005, when the third division for each conference were first introduced, division winners were ...
- 2,013
7
votes
Accepted
What does the ‘3’ in Chris Paul’s nickname CP3 stand for?
It's a family related nickname. Chris Paul's father's and older brother's Initials are also CP, making him the third person with initials CP, hence CP3.
- 11.1k
6
votes
Accepted
Can a basketball player play in college after playing in the NBA?
According to the NCAA, there are required steps in order to become a college athlete. One of them is registering with the Eligibility Center. In the typical situation, that’s done during grade 10 in ...
- 752
6
votes
Shall I always stick to the same move if it works?
If
Something works
You're playing to win (see akadian's answer for the issues here), and
You're not interested in moving up to a higher standard of play
then by all means keep doing it.
However, if ...
- 24.7k
6
votes
Accepted
How can one team "own" another team's first-round pick?
Draft picks are an asset, and (in the NBA anyway) they can be traded between teams (subject to some restrictions). Whichever team has the pick on the day of the draft gets to select a player and have ...
- 24.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Why do NBA players avoid touching the ball after a made basket?
Yes, there is such a rule, and the players want to avoid any possible hint of breaching it.
Section II. Delay of Game
a. A delay-of-game shall be called for:
(1) Preventing the ball from ...
Nij♦
- 8,202
6
votes
Accepted
Who has been the smallest player ever to play the NBA?
It is Muggsy Bogues
Muggsy Bogues is the shortest player in NBA history, listed at 5'3”. He was drafted 12th overall by the Washington Bullets in 1987 and played later played for the Hornets, ...
- 208
5
votes
Has there been a NBA Most Improved Player or Sixth Man of the Year Award winner to have won MVP Honors?
The NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award was first awarded for the 1982–83 NBA season, whereas the NBA Most Improved Player Award was first awarded following the 1985–86 season. Since the 1982-83 season, ...
- 2,044
5
votes
Accepted
Why isn't there an advantage rule for fouls in basketball (similar to soccer)?
The first thing to note here is that this is almost exclusively an NBA only issue; FIBA rules have always penalised away from the ball fouls as unsportsmanlike fouls giving two free throws and ...
- 24.7k
5
votes
In basketball, what does 'two for fifteen' mean?
Went two for 15. Seven points.
This specific player made two field goals (FGM - field goals made) out of 15 attempts (FGA - field goals attempted) for a total of seven points (PTS).
He finished ...
- 1,024
5
votes
Accepted
Has a Sweet Sixteen ever had all 4 top seeds in each region?
No. 2009 was as close as 2019 in which two four seeds were joined by a 5-seed and a 12-seed in the Sweet 16.
For just the second time ever, the top three seeds in every single region
advanced to ...
- 1,024
5
votes
Accepted
Is this a travel under Euroleague basketball rules?
Euroleague plays under FIBA Rules; in that rulebook, travelling is defined thusly:
Establishing a pivot foot by a player who catches a live ball on the playing court:
• A player who ...
- 12.9k
5
votes
Is it possible to guard a dunk if you can't dunk
There's always going to be someone bigger and more physical than you. Every player in the NBA can dunk, and they still get dunked on pretty much every game - the whole point of a dunk is that it's ...
- 24.7k
5
votes
Why do top NBA stars from USA skip the Olympics?
Simply put, the NBA championship is far more prestigious than an Olympics championship. This is because the NBA and the US itself hold a huge percentage of the top players in the world. Also the ...
- 11.1k
5
votes
Accepted
During a basketball freethrow, what happens if you try to distract the shooter?
Both waving arms and yelling at the shooter are specifically disallowed.
From the NBA Rules: rule 9 I f:
During all free throw attempts, no opponent in the game shall
disconcert the shooter once the ...
- 6,871
5
votes
Accepted
In the NBA, if your shot gets blocked, does it still reset the shot clock?
NBA Rule 7 governs the shot clock. 2d describes a legal shot that must occur within the clock period:
2d After gaining possession of the ball, a team must attempt a field
goal before the shot clock ...
- 6,871
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible