After all the delays and antics in last night's loss to Golden State, I decided to look back at the rules. They are emphatic and clear. Any contact on a rebound in which a player doesn't maintain vertical position with their hands (all grabbing, clamping, pulling, pushing etc.) is illegal. No version of blocking out allows for clamping of any kind. There are zero exceptions. It's supposed to be physical, but rebounding and blocking out involve using your feet and hips. You can't interfere with the other guy, period. This means that Brandon Podziemski must block out Jabari Smith--if that's his assignment--but he can't interfere with Jabari's hands or reach across his shoulders. Every time it happens, it's a violation of league rules. Golden State has block out Steven Adams, but you cannot legally reach under or over his arms. Every rebounder has to have complete freedom of movement with their hands. Draymond can't use his knees or elbows to impede someone's progress. And you certainly can't clutch a fistful of jersey. If you play with these rules, the actual rules, does Golden State secure any rebounds when they play Houston? Imagine how many fewer incidents we would have with guys wrestling each other to the mat if we played the game by the actual rules? The NBA made a massive push for freedom of movement on the perimeter years ago. It took time, but you can't simply hang on to guys to prevent them from dribbling, cutting, or running. It's time for Adam Silver to clean things up when the shots go up.
Are you reffing? If not, doesn’t matter. Obviously if draymond had to play by the rules others do he would be long gone.
The NBA has lost control of the game. If the league has any concern for player safety, or they'd like to control these long reviews, let's step away from choke locks and wrestling and find a cleaner game.
The leeway GSW has been given on box outs, and defensively in general, is despicable. They are genuinely getting to play outside of the rules because Steve Kerr cries to the media any time anyone dares challenge his side with physical play. Meanwhile, the Warriors are probably the most physical team in the league, but it's never talked about. Everyone that plays like they do gets labelled as dirty, but when Draymond goes berserk or Podz gives half the team a hug the refs turn a blind eye and the media never calls them out. Even yesterday, Reggie was glazing Draymond for one of the dirtiest games in recent memory.
Just a case in point: note the action on the game's last play by Podz on Jabari (which draws zero attention in the NBA two-minute report). All that contact is legit? Really? Let's all imagine the wailing we would still be hearing if Steph Curry or Draymond or Podz or Butler were grabbed in this way. Lol. After a long review, they'd probably call a flagrant one foul. However when Jabari touches Butler--after dragging Podz across the lane and finally dislodging him--he's whistled for the foul with the comment: "Smith Jr. (HOU) makes illegal contact with Butler III's (GSW) arm as he secures the rebound." Give me a break. My advice to Jabari or any Rocket on these clamp plays is take a seat the moment it happens. Do not try to play through this sort of nonsense. Forcefully allow their action to pull you to the ground. Like taking a charge. Maybe someone separates a shoulder or trips over the pile of humanity. If they clamp down on you, blow up the play and force a restart.
