Hoops

What are the international trends in basketball?

Okay, a question for those who know more about hoops than I do.....

Does the fact that a two or three step lay up, not called as travel, help the athlete in the USA compared with those playing basketball down here in good old OZ?

I mean to say that we tend to call those things down here, so how can we be more athletic, across the board when in the USA (College or NBA) they allow athletes to spin, drive and catch 'n dunk with a two or three step move and no dribble needed.....!

Are we officiating our athletes out of it, or are we just playing too close to the rules?

Anon, I think D.Martin could play in the NBA, but he'd only ever be a Bruce Bowen style role player where he's brought in for defensive rotation.

Unfortunately I think the NBA wants all-round players that can score who turn into defensive players. I've never really seen anyone get drafted who can't average around 15-20+ppg.

Interesting stats guys, aren't perceptions judgmental in a lot of cases?

Watching NCAA College Basketball from the States (still no NBA of course) and comparing that style of play to ours here in Australia I can't help feel that they tend to take more risks that we do.

College ball is awesome and very entertaining to watch, let's face it, they pack out their stadiums, have a quality brass band and cheerleaders keeping everyone happy during time outs and the rivalries are like those in the E.P.L!

Basketball is the largest junior participation sport in Australia and the 'other World Game', yet we still can't get a game of NBL live on the T.V...

We have a lot to learn!

Judging by some of the games I've seen recently, travelling calls seem to be out of fashion in this country as well.

One major factor that I see as a problem with the NBL is the high turnover rate. It isn't unusual to see teams turn it over 20+ times--This is an astromnomical amount.

Over in Europe, turnovers are generally kept at an absolute minimum. In the NBL you see passing with a lack of direction, dribbling mistakes and poor footwork that you just don't see in Europe;

I think part of this is because in the NBL, a lot of players get the ball on the perimter throughout the offence. (Look at most teams and you will see the PG,SG, 3 and 4 man will generally all get outside touches; Guys like Wilkinson, L.Davidson, Redhage and Wagstaff, Crosswhite, Loughton all get outside touches; heck I even seen Khazzou get the ball on the perimeter).

Compare that to Europe, and the 4 men don't get outside touches and their role/space of operation rarely extends beyond the foul line.

Would be interesting to see how many of the turnovers in the NBL are caused by the 3 and 4 men of each team..IMO they are responsible for a larger proportion of TO's than any other position mainly because they are utilised on the perimeter (and asked to perform hand off's whilst dribbling the ball) where they aren't entirely comfortable.

yes....that is what one of the 2 South teams playing against each other at m/vale 2nite were told to run....a friggin' 3 1 1 Halfcourt trap!! HAHA. anyone heard of that before or is this most common?!? LOL. it cracked me up. got told by one of the players that this is what was instructed.....u tell me, is it worth it and does a 3 1 1 Halfcourt trap work?!? baaahahaha. never heard of that one in my whole life!!!