Have Ball, Will Travel: Blake Griffin

Have Ball, Will Travel’ is a recurring video feature here at Hardwood Paroxysm, in which we take a closer look at debatable traveling calls and non-calls with documented rule in mind.

In this installment, we’ll look at one gem from Blake Griffin’s gaudy Saturday night highlight reel. On this particular play, Griffin mutilates Danilo Gallinari in transition by way of a beautiful spin move.

Beautiful though it may be, Griffin’s move is a debatable travel on one level, and a subtle — but certain — travel on another.

It’s clear that after his collect, Griffin proceeds to take three steps, a violation of the traveling rule‘s most basic tenet. According to the incredibly vague rhetoric in the rulebook, players on the move are not entitled to a pivot upon the completion of their two steps following the end of their dribble, which makes Griffin’s third and final plant before elevation an illegal step.

(Plus, if you’re the type to argue to for the pivot’s legality in this case, take a careful look at the final angle in the video. Griffin doesn’t jump off of both feet at once; he actually uses that plant as a full third step.)

In this instance, Griffin takes three steps after his collect, which should have been easily whistled for a violation. Whoops.

Additionally, Griffin commits the same error that Andray Blatche committed earlier this month: he takes two consecutive steps by hopping on the same foot. According to the NBA’s Video Rulebook, “an offensive player with the ball may not hop consecutively on the same foot upon ending his dribble.” By not keeping his foot planted during the spin, Griffin sets himself up for a travel, which he commits when he re-plants his left foot to explode toward the basket.

Griffin can still have this sequence for his YouTube résumé, but only because he managed to blind the officiating crew with a fluid spin and a massive finish.

This is part of american hoops, plain and simple.

Andrew wrote:

martin wrote:not only did he travel, it was an offensive foul as he moved Gallo's arm out of the way, no?

Was just going to post the same thing about the arm.. Take a closer look at the Mozgov dunk as well. The left arm pushes off and up on Moz's shoulder for some extra height.

On the Timo dunk he did not push off but he did a cradle on Timo's head to his nutsack. Highly illegal move and I believe is a felony in 43 states.

The same desire for the spectacular will probably keep the powers that be from looking too closely at Griffin and the possibility that some of his athleticism is the product of PEDs, which is what I tend to believe.

Video is HIGLY suggestive. I dont consider the collect step being when he planted his left foot. I consider the spin the collect step.

Paladin55 wrote:This is what the NBA wants though- dunks seem to be what some people want to see when they watch highlight reels.

The same desire for the spectacular will probably keep the powers that be from looking too closely at Griffin and the possibility that some of his athleticism is the product of PEDs, which is what I tend to believe.

LMAO PED's?

Do you see these guys in highschool. Griffin was banging on guys heads in highschool.

The guys wasn't skinny in highschool like most NBA players. He was already solid and just bulked up with age.

Fact is some people are more built than other just like some people are smarter than others.

AnubisADL wrote:

Paladin55 wrote:This is what the NBA wants though- dunks seem to be what some people want to see when they watch highlight reels.

The same desire for the spectacular will probably keep the powers that be from looking too closely at Griffin and the possibility that some of his athleticism is the product of PEDs, which is what I tend to believe.

LMAO PED's?

Do you see these guys in highschool. Griffin was banging on guys heads in highschool.

The guys wasn't skinny in highschool like most NBA players. He was already solid and just bulked up with age.

Fact is some people are more built than other just like some people are smarter than others.

Are you assuming that he was clean in high school?

AnubisADL wrote:Really? You have to watch the video is super slow mode to catch that. Gallo got banged on plain and simple.

Video is HIGLY suggestive. I dont consider the collect step being when he planted his left foot. I consider the spin the collect step.

what the heck does "highly suggestive" mean?

there are NBA rules around traveling, it's a black and white thing, no gray area about it.