Olajuwon's Top 10 Plays from the '94 Finals

play #2 was a travel.

 

Not even close. Dribble, inside pivot while picking up the ball and two steps to the rack. No travel.

 

Amazing plays! Its always nice to see Hakeem playing.

 

I saw every minute of that series, and plays 9 and 10 happened about five times per quarter. LOL. Oh well. They got the top 3 to 4 correct.

 

It's definitely a travel. In simplest terms, if you lift your pivot foot, that pivot foot cannot return to the floor. That is true in high school, college, and the NBA.

There are many ways to explain and define the rule, but for me that one is the most clear.


On the other hand, it's not a travel if they don't call it.

 

I would agree but he was gathering the ball off the spin, he's allowed two steps after a dribble no?

 

#5: See how he doesn't get the foul called. TRAVESTY. At 1:35, Patrick pushes him, and THE MAN just plays like nothing, scores at will.
#1: "Hey, Patrick, remember when you thought I was going that way, and I didn't?" :grin:

No travel, sir. I am THE BOOK on this.

It's NOT a travel when the player DRIBBLES, or is already on the move, then picks up the dribble and takes two steps. If he's standing, then moves, it is a travel, because there is no other action before.

You FAIL to see that Olajuwon takes only ONE dribble, then makes the move which is called a CONTINUATION.

Take, for example, the DREAM SHAKE: no movement, I get the ball in the post. I shake my shoulders, step with my right foot forward, then bring the right foot back, then forward again, never picking up my left foot off the ground, then I jump off BOTH feet. No travel. If I was to pick up the left foot, then jumped, then IT IS a travel.

Take, for example, a fast break: I am running... my teammate passes the ball to me, I am already on the move towards the basket, so I catch the ball, take one step with my right, then with my left, then jump off my left. No travel.

The action Olajuwon takes is one of a continuation of a dribble, then step (left foot), then pick up the ball, then another step (right foot), then another (left foot), which is almost the same as a fast break, but around a player.

 

2 steps yes, but the pivot counts as one of the steps.

It would have been legal had he not touched his pivot foot before the shot, or if he had dribbled into the spin. But since his last dribble occurred before the spin, the pivot counts as his first step.

I mean... it's still spectacular and they didn't call it, but yeah... by the strict definition of the rule... it's travelling.

 

Do you mind giving us the "strict definition of the rule"? I know why it exists (because it creates an advantage for the player taking steps as if he's walking), but I'd like to see what you know as the definition. We might be interpreting it much differently and therein may lie the answer to our disagreement, sir.

 

NBA Rule:
Section XIII—Traveling
a. A player who receives the ball while standing still may pivot, using either foot as the pivot foot.

b. [blah blah stuff about catching a ball while moving]

c. In starting a dribble after (1) receiving the ball while standing still, or (2) coming to a legal stop, the ball must be out of the player’s hand before the pivot foot is raised off the floor.

d. If a player, with the ball in his possession, raises his pivot foot off the floor, he must pass or shoot before his pivot foot returns to the floor. If he drops the ball while in the air, he may not be the first to touch the ball.

Hakeem's dribble (ball is clearly on the floor, left leg is clearly off the ground)


First step (Hakeem establishes pivot foot and begins spin)


Second step


Third step (pivot foot returns to the ground before the dunk)

 

So are you saying he was "standing" (reference to point "a)" in the rules) in the definition of pivot?

I think you're probably thinking he was just standing before his two steps, when in contrast, he was dribbling and moving. He dribbles, then steps (what you might think is a pivot), then steps and shoots.

The fact that his body spins doesn't mean that his left foot is a pivot. A pivot could be defined as the foot that stays still as the player is standing. In this case, the player is NOT standing: he was dribbling before, so he has no pivot feet, just two steps in a continuation (a spin walk, rather than a spin from standing on a pivot).

 

If refs called that strictly, then players wouldnt be able to do ANY spin moves. I think it's something they haven't addressed officially, but all refs let it go.

 

The rules that people use to justify the modern crab dribble and eurostep are pretty much the same ones used to say Dream's move was legal. In all fairness, Dream's footwork here has been widely accepted for a long time. Lots of players do it. The modern weirdo perimeter moves (notably by LBJ and Wade) are similar and technically legal, but they kind of abuse the rules because they involve taking either unusually high steps or long strides that may not be moving toward the basket.

 

I just saw this too on my Facebook feed. Gives me cold chills. Never be another big man with his skillset. Absolutely amazing.

I'm probably hoping for too much, but if Thabeet could only block shots and rebound half as well as Olajuwon for 24 minutes a game, I think we're playoff bound.


But probably not. 35-47 here we come!!

 

My God did he jump as high as Dwight Howard with his All-Star game dunk in #3?? I think he did!!

 

Yo man you're derailing the derailment!! Was it a travel or not?

 

Sorry! Uhm damn that's close. Its not as blatant as what Kobe, Lebron, Wade etc. get away with, so I'll vote no.