From: tamada@cheshire.oxy.edu (Michael K. Tamada)
Subject: Re: Illegal Defense
Organization: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041 USA.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 08:33:52 GMT

In article <1irapfINN7l8@SALMON.ZOO2.CS.YALE.EDU> yan-dicky@cs.yale.edu (Dicky Yan) writes:
>Sorry it this seems a trivial question for this group.
>
>How is "Illegal Defense" defined in NBA [and other matches].

Ahh, glad I saved this article.  It is one year old, i.e. the rules I
am quoting are from two years ago.  I doubt they've changed much, if at
all:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     Hmmm, this is getting to be a sort of inFrequently Asked Question, 
i.e. once per year.  Fortunately, I have saved the relevant files (I
copied these from last year's NBA Guide, so any recent rule changes
are not included).  

[Note:	the court is divided into various "areas" for the purpose of
calling illegal defenses.   These areas are basically where you'd
expect them to be so I won't bother defining them]

RULE NUMBER 12 -- FOULS AND PENALTIES

Section I -- Illegal Defenses

2.  Guidelines for Defensive Coverage

[a. and b. prohibit defensive players from hanging around the key]

c.  An offensive player without the ball MAY NOT be double teamed from the
weak side.  ONLY the player with the ball may be double-teamed, by a weak
side defensive player.
     Weak side and strong side distinctions shall not extend above the tip
of the circle.

d.  When an offensive player, with or without the ball, takes a position
above the foul line, the defensive player may be no farther (toward the
baseline) than the "middle defensive area'.  Defensive player may enter
and re-enter the "inside lane" as many times as he desires, so long as
he does not exceed 2.9 seconds.

e.  When a weak side offensive player is above the free throw line extended,
his defensive man may be no lower than the 'middle defensive area' extended
for more than 2.9 seconds.
     When a weak side offensive player is below the free throw line
extended, his defensive man must vacate the "inside lane" unless his man
is positioned adjacent (posted up) to the 3-second lane extended.
     When a weak side offensive player is above the tip of the circle, his
eefensive man must be no lower than the 'upper defensive area' for more
than 2.9 seconds.
     When a strong side offensive player is above the tip of the circle
extended, his defensive man may be no lower than the free throw line
extended (upper defensive area) for more than 2.9 seconds.
     When a strong side offensive player is above the free throw line
extended (Upper Defensive Area), his defensive man may be no lower than
the 'middle defensive area' for more than 2.9 seconds.
     When a strong side offensive player is below the free throw line
extended (Middle Defensive Area), his defensive man has no restrictions.
He may double-team anyone with or without the ball.  Should his man
relocate to a 'spot' above the free throw line extended, he has 2.9
seconds to follow him into the proper defensive area.
     In all of the situations above, the defensive player may always go
and double-team the ball.

[f., g., and h. describe more restrictions on defensive location and
how defensive players must follow their man.]

i.  A double team is when two or more defenders aggressively pursue a
player with the ball to a position close enough for a held ball to occur.

     Failure to comply with paragraphs a through i will be adjudged an
Illegal Defense.

     The original question that started this discussion was about
"pentuple teaming."  Not only is it legal to pentuple (or quintuple)
team the player with the ball, it is also legal to pentuple team
a player without the ball (assuming that the various location restrictions
are met, e.g. if all 5 offensive players are on the strong side and
are below the free throw line extended).
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  | W			   Mike Tamada
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