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I thought the league has determined that you can't physically take a shot with less than .4 on the clock.......
Spurs unable to cash in on final-play option
Mike Monroe
Spurs forward Michael Finley had two options on the in-bounds play he triggered from the left sideline with three-tenths of a second remaining in Sunday's 87-85 loss to the Houston Rockets at the AT&T Center.
Both were longshots, in the horse racing sense.
Finley opted for the long shot, and Matt Bonner nearly produced what would have been the most unlikely finish since Derek Fisher's 3-pointer gave the Lakers a one-point victory in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals with the Spurs.
In the 20-second timeout that followed a free throw by Houston's Luis Scola with three-tenths left, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich drew up two options: a lob for Tim Duncan, rolling from the foul line to the basket, or a pass to Bonner, coming up from the baseline, for a catch-and-shoot.
The Rockets dictated the action with their defense.
“We basically got what we drew up,” Finley said. “We got the shot that we wanted in that situation. You've got to draw something where it's a lob to the basket, or a quick catch-and-shoot.
“They defended the lob to the basket, so the next best thing was the quick catch-and-shoot, and we had it.”
Bonner caught Finley's pass and flicked up a high-arching 3-point attempt that was just off, an inch or two to the right and a tad strong.
Bonner slumped to the floor when the shot rolled out.
Replays showed the ball clearly out of Bonner's hand with one-tenth remaining.
Bonner and Finley thought the shot was on a perfect arc.
“It's hard to judge, because I had to catch and shoot way faster than normal,” Bonner said, “but I got a good feel on the ball and had a clean look. It felt good.
“It was one of those shots that looks good and feels good but went straight off the back rim and back out.”
In truth, the Spurs never should have had a chance to make the Rockets sweat out watching Bonner's shot on its way toward the rim, but Scola's inability to execute at the foul line nearly turned him from hero to goat.
Scola had chased down Tony Parker's missed shot — his 17th rebound in a game in which he also scored 19 points, including Houston's final five — and was quickly fouled by Roger Mason Jr.
By rule, three-tenths of a second must be taken off the clock after any free-throw miss before a timeout can be awarded.
Thus, Scola was sent to the line with instructions to miss the second free throw, regardless of whether he made the first.
Scola missed the first. Somehow, his line-drive second attempt went in, giving the Spurs a chance to call the timeout that produced Bonner's near-miss.
“I tried to make the first one and miss the second,” Scola said. “Apparently, I'm not very good at it.”
I thought the league has determined that you can't physically take a shot with less than .4 on the clock.......
Yeah, I don't think that shot would have counted. I looked after the game at the play-by-plays and it looks like it wasn't even considered a shot attempt.
.4 memories
They did and that's what Assistant coach Brown was saying on sports radio after the game. Brown was saying they had thought it was impossible to put up a shot with only that much time left. They called it the Fisher rule. (Painful still...)
Anyways, even if it had gone in, Coach Brown doubted it would have counted.
Yeah, I don't think that shot would have counted. I looked after the game at the play-by-plays and it looks like it wasn't even considered a shot attempt.
.4 memories
What was the point in going through all of the motions then? Just give the ball to the ref after Scola's make and walk away.
I think a tip-in is still theoretically possible. You could lob to a guy near the basket and it would count.What was the point in going through all of the motions then? Just give the ball to the ref after Scola's make and walk away.
I found it strange that Bonner was one of the options on that play. For the simple fact that he has a wind-up release in his shooting motion. Therefore, it could be a bit tough for him to get off a good look with that little time left. Mason, on the other hand, has the quickest trigger, and most experience, in those late-game, catch-and-shoot-type of situations. I thought he'd at least be one of the primary options.
Ahhh ok....I misread. I thought Bonner's shot was a tip but I see now that it was a feet-planted 3.
Oh well, the Spurs didn't deserve that one anyway.
It's actually been said that it takes at least .5 for someone to actually catch and shoot, but Fisher's .4 had the NBA thinking otherwise.
Their reasoning, or what they deem reasoning,(i.e. what benefitted their cash-cow in the Lakers) is that it takes .2 for the officials reaction-time to start the clock, therefore, .4 is sufficient enough time when the human element is involved.
Now, personally... I'd just say if there's anything less .5 or .6 to just wave-off any catch-and-shoot/jumpshot. It seems to me, you wouldn't add time for human error but acknowledge what is, and what isn't, physically possible to do.
Pretty crazy concept, I know. (And yes, I'm still a bitter Spurs fan)
One times a typo.Finley opted for the long shot, and Matt Bonner nearly produced what would have been the most unlikely finish since Derek Fisher's 3-pointer gave the Lakers a one-point victory in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals with the Spurs.
Two times incompetence.
I realize he was up in Denver when all that went down, but it's not like that play hasn't been shown at nauseam over the years.
Yup 0.3 is the minimum 'they' said it's possible to score
btw. Spurs were mudering opponents in the ending of games most of the season.
What is happening right now? Jeez
the only played i thought it could have made sense was an alley oop to Gooden...
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