As a fan of the modern game I suppose it’s different now and the game has changed, but I simply can’t fathom why illegal defence needed to exist in the first place. Does anyone have an explanation?
As a fan of the modern game I suppose it’s different now and the game has changed, but I simply can’t fathom why illegal defence needed to exist in the first place. Does anyone have an explanation?
The ELI5 version:
There was no 3-point line at the time of implementation.
As a result, games were often grind fests on account of both lack of spacing and camping defenders.
The league wanted offensive players to showcase their skills, particularly as the ABA came through and began pumping out a more free-flowing product.
The slightly longer story:
The league implemented defensive restrictions in waves, beginning with a 1967 rule change that prohibited defenders from camping in the lane for longer than three seconds without clearly guarding an offensive player. This could be attributed to a number of factors, from opening up the game to combating the dominance of Wilt Chamberlain.
The league then further clamped down on zone defenses toward the end of the 1970s, again in an attempt to open up the game in an era where paints were packed in hopes of forcing games to become mid-range snoozefests.
While the 3-point line made its debut in 1979, it’s power would not be realized for years after the fact, likely leading many to believe in the continued necessity of the illegal defense rule to maintain a balanced game that provided opportunity for offensive players to work their way to the rim.
In concept and purpose, it’s not altogether different from some rule alterations we’ve seen in the modern game, legalizing the gather step, loosening dribbling restrictions, and empowering offensive players to reap the benefits of initiating contact in certain instances. It was primarily in the name of providing an attractive product.