Phoenix Suns: Confusion around the continuation rule makes and-1 no fun

The new rules on continuation have left the Phoenix Suns’ players, coaches, announcers, and fans confused. But the real problem is that the refs look just as confused as everyone else.

In the Phoenix Suns’ loss to the Nuggets on Saturday, there were two plays that got me thinking: what in the world is going on? What’s a guy gotta do to get to the foul line anymore? Why is the NBA ruining the NBA?

With 5:22 left in the second quarter, right after a “soul stealing” dunk from Kelly Oubre over Jerami Grant, the Nuggets came down and missed a shot. Ayton gathered the rebound and passed out to Rubio. Rubio then turned to push the ball as Rubio is prone to do. Seeing an opening off a hesitation dribble, Rubio drove to the basket, taking a Nugget defender. Rubio, feeling the defender overplaying him, turned, pulled up along the baseline and put up a shot. The shot was good!

Except it wasn’t good.

The official waved it off, saying the foul occurred before Rubio had begun his shooting motion. No basket. Side out.

On the very next play, Ayton received the inbounds pass and proceeded to immediately throw it Nikola Jokic. Turnover. The Nuggets turned that into a quick 3.

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It was potentially a six-point swing, provided Rubio would have made the free throws he was not awarded.

The new rules state that continuation starts at the beginning of the shooting motion and ends at its completion, but within that rule, there are two different criteria for what that motion is.

For a jump shot, the player must be in his upward motion for it to be considered a shooting foul, regardless of whether a player is attempting to get into their upward motion as the foul occurred.

You can thank James Harden for this. There’s always that one guy who ruins it for everyone else.

But the rule nonsensical. Like it was made by someone—or a group of someones—who have never attempted a jump shot themselves. The jump shot is not limited to a shooter jumping into the air. That means players like Rubio—who never seems to leave his feet—would never get a call.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the only missed continuation for the Phoenix Suns.

Later, at the end of the same quarter with five seconds left in the half, Booker took the ball the length of the floor and put up a floater in the lane with just 2.2 seconds left.

Count it.

Oh . . .wait . . . what?

Scratch that, no bucket . . . again.

According to Sr. Vice President of Replay & Referee Operations, Joe Borgia, a drive is defined as a running shot to the basket which is released in the lower defensive box. If the player even looked like they are going to attempt a shot in this area they will be awarded free throws.

Unfortunately for the Suns, both these plays took place less than a step outside the box. But both seemed to be in the clear act of shooting. Neither shot was created by a wild arm swing or an awkward lunge into the defender, or a scissor-kick and a flop to the floor.

The NBA—in an attempt to take away the antics of some players and to speed up the game—robbed not just 4 points (potentially 6), from the Suns in some random game in February, they have all but taken away one of the most exciting plays in basketball, the and-1.

If the NBA wanted to stop the fishing for fouls then they should just stop calling the ones where the player is clearly fishing. Or call it offensive. But don’t take away the spectacular plays because of the foul-fishers.

Next. The Phoenix Suns should sign Dion Waiters. dark

And if you want to hurry up the game, maybe stop with the replays. Maybe? Maybe stop huddling in front of the monitor for five-plus minutes to see if a shot is a shot or if there needs to be .03 seconds put back on the clock.

Maybe stop taking away the beautiful. Maybe just clean up the ugly.

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