LOL: Manu traveled big time

[DespЏrado]

compare the two videos (start at 49 seconds.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y932...eature#t=0m49s

See that his left foot is completely planted...that's a legal step back...

What he did against the Bucks was perfectly legal for all the steps that he took, except that he pivots on the ball of his left foot.

But as Kori says, it was a win, and no team should rely on the refs to bail them out of a loss.

[Russ]

As Chick Hearn used to say, Manu "did the bunny hop in the pea patch."

[AussieFanKurt]

took an extra step between the last dribble and where he ended up

[EricB]

It was a clear travel.

They got away with it, the Bucks have every right to be mad, Spur fan can can use whatever they want but it was a travel.

Luckily it wasn't called and Manu made the shot. Period.

[UnWantedTheory]

Did Moute hit the ball as he was going up???

[SpurSpurSpurs]

I'm with Ducks, it was a travel. And as EricB said, they just got away with it. So it is a win.

[dastrey]

It was a clear travel.

They got away with it, the Bucks have every right to be mad, Spur fan can can use whatever they want but it was a travel.

Luckily it wasn't called and Manu made the shot. Period.

If anything, the Bucks should be mad at themselves for not complaining right after the shot. Skiles had absolutely no reaction after Manu drilled the shot right in front of him.

[DBMethos]

2 points. Ballgame.

[ChuckD]

If anything, the Bucks should be mad at themselves for not complaining right after the shot. Skiles had absolutely no reaction after Manu drilled the shot right in front of him.

I absolutely don''t think it was a travel, but it begs the question...

And then what They can't use IR to go back and call a travel. They can use it to see if the shot was off in time, if it was a two or a three, or to see how much time is left, or determine who would have possession. That's it.

[timvp]

During regular play, that would probably be called traveling 90% of the time. But players are allowed extra leeway on game-winners when it comes to possible travels or offensive fouls so I'm not surprised the refs swallowed their whistles.

With as many BS luck shots the Bucks have hit at the buzzer against the Spurs over the years, this was just karma evening out. I'll take it.

[TDMVPDPOY]

even if this game went into OT

supermanu was in turbocharge mode for OT...

[TDMVPDPOY]

even if this game went into OT

supermanu was in turbocharge mode for OT...

[TJastal]

That was not a freakin travel! you're allowed to take two steps after a dribble before a shot or pass. Or in this case a step back, or in manu's a case a huge jump back for the fade away!

This.

And it's even debatable whether Manu took 2 full steps, Manu was just picking up his dribble as he completed his first step.

And even that was hard to determine using my slo-mo instant replay. Not that it even matters, you're allowed 2 steps anyway. Just felt the need to thoroughly disprove the dip who started this thread.

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Yeah, it's hard to tell. Even if he did, the refs don't call very much in the last seconds of the game normally.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Not even close to a travel--wtf OP?

[Blake]

from the side view, it looked legal.

from the camera view coming from the back, opposite baseline, it looked to me like he went right foot, left foot, landed, then the jump shot.

After further review, it was extremely close, but I think it was a travel.

[TJastal]

I don't think there is any situation where a player can jump with both feet and come down with both feet, and not get called. If it doesn't draw a whistle, the refs are just asleep. Jumping off of one foot and coming down on both is another thing entirely. (As long as the jump occurs on the one count.)

The rule says that a player in motion (i.e. dribbling the ball) can "gather the ball" and then take two steps. So if the player puts a foot on the floor (steps) while the ball is on the way up from the floor, he still gets two more steps after he catches the ball on its way up. It's going to look like an extra step to a lot of people who don't understand what the rule actually says. They are going to see this:

1. A step takes place (while the ball is somewhere between the court and his hand)
2. The player gathers the ball in both hands, as it rises from the court
3. The player takes two more steps

People see three steps take place, without the ball hitting the floor, and insist that it is travelling. According to NBA rules, it isn't.

I could be wrong, but I think that is what took place tonight with Manu. I don't have any problem admitting when the refs make bad calls in the Spurs favor. His first step after gathering the ball was forward, and from that foot he leaped (stepped) backward, and landed on both feet. It's permissible under the rules.

Think about it this way: a player takes one step with his left foot, and then another with his right foot. He isn't required to stand there on one foot, to avoid travelling. He is allowed to bring his left foot forward, to stand on both feet - even though it might seem like bringing that left foot forward is another "step". It's really no different than landing on both feet simultaneously after a long (hop) step.

The important thing to remember is that players are allowed two steps "after gathering the ball". And on the second step, they are allowed to land on both feet simultaneously, as long as they don't subsequently pivot with either foot.

This. This. This.

[GSH]

Regardless of what you think happened, Skiles is still a wuss for saying this:"It was great D. (Mbah a Moute) made him travel. We just looked at it about five times [on video]," Skiles said. He actually went to video before the press conference? Serious wuss.

BTW - I didn't have these shots last night. They show what happened a split second before the others. There's the ball on the ground. Then there's Manu about to gather the ball. Those extra steps some people insist he took after his last dribble? Not on video. Phantom steps.

RuffnReadyOzStyle nailed it. Manu put down another sneaky dribble. People couldn't see it because of the camera angle. But you can see the ball in the first photo, peeking out from behind Manu's leg. Those are the steps you guys are talking about, and the ball is on the floor. I wonder if any of you are going to step up and say, "Damn... I didn't know he put the ball on the ground one more time"?

[wunderkindepiphany]

Sometimes a little luck doesn't hurt. I'll take it, but my man nearly took 5 steps.

If anything, Manu should have gotten called for the foul, but he played through it and got the shot off on a BIG stepback. That big stepback is one of Manu's shots.

[wontstartdumbthreads]

As self appointed resident expert, I have done extensive analysis and agree with myself that it is not a travel.

As to those who would argue that it is a travel, you should lick balls.

[wunderkindepiphany]

He picked up his dribble, took 1 step, another and then jumped nearly 3 feet to his left, landed and then went up with his shot. No whistle ? No travel ? I'm good with that.

Manu drove to his left into the wing, never bringing the dribble to a stop until the pro-hop, and it DID look like he took a step off of his right foot, but he gathered his feet and jumped off of the left. This move is common in NBA basketball and his stepback has been known to draw a traveling call in the past, but it looked legit to me. If anything, Manu should have gotten called for pushing off with the off-hand. I'll take the bucket though.

Manu is just crazy athletic and pulled off a of a jumper. Its an honor to watch him play. I don't know if any of you all have seen his tutorial videos, but here you go. These show him with the behind the back dribble and the stepback.

Manu tutorial on the P&R: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqx7OqmJpL8

Manu tutorial on the stepback shot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y932jIh6IA

[TJastal]

If anything, Manu should have drawn the foul, but he played through it and got the shot off on a BIG stepback. That big stepback is one of Manu's shots.

Manu has a 3 pointer shot too. It's one of his shots.

[Useruser666]

It looks like Paul Pierce made the same move as Manu for his game winner. Except, he even slid his left foot before the step back.

[wunderkindepiphany]

Manu has a 3 pointer shot too. It's one of his shots.

its true, its a shot he has worked to make more reliable and this year he's really made it work for him. Are you trying to be a smartass or just backing up what I said? Cause if youre trying to be an asshole, you should just go get laid and stop being such a .

[jmard5]

... or it could have been easily a shooting foul. Refs might have swallowed their whistles letting the players play instead of bringing the outcome of the game through free throws.

In hindsight, the Bucks would probably take Manu's step back, fade away to decide the game than him at the free throw line.