How vital was the defensive three-second rule? According to anti-zone meister Tomjanovich, it makes all the difference. “I was opposed to (allowing) any defense," Rudy T. said after watching his team’s first summer league game with the new rules. “If there’s any defense, then you can just sit in there, without the three seconds. To me, this is basically what we had before, but it’s easier to call. “To me, when NBA basketball is at its best it’s a man-to-man game where players are exploiting their skills, things like that. Those things won’t just let people stand in the paint." “From what I see so far, it looks like it’s easier for the officials to call the illegal defense," Tomjanovich said. “Let’s not get under the illusion there isn’t going to be an illegal defense. They’re just going to call it three seconds. But it’s so much easier for them to spot it. That they have to have guys to get “cleansed," all the way out of the three-second zone. It’s a great deal because it does get some spacing. I think it’s going to be OK." http://www.foxsports.com/nba/home/nba_news.cfm?source=st&cont_id=67857 ------------------
