The Spanish basketball league, commonly known as Liga ACB, has introduced a new rule that could change the landscape of basketball dramatically and start a movement to bring some older basketball rules back into the game. For 38 minutes out of a 40-minute game, players are allowed to inbound the ball without the referee having to pass the ball to the inbounding player.
This may seem like nothing but could have an enormous impact on the game, especially as players can quickly pass the ball in towards playing, making runs towards the basket. The referee grabbing the ball usually slows the game down for everyone, but this rule will increase the pace of the game.
This rule was commonplace up until the 1980s but was removed. While the NBA hasn’t made any indications about bringing it back, some fans have seen this clip from Liga ACB and wondered how the game would look if it was re-introduced. Naturally, some fans also hated it.
One of the best basketball leagues in the world, the ACB in Spain, is testing a new rule this season.
When inbounding the ball in the backcourt the referees no longer need to have control of the ball first.
(For the first 38 minutes of the game). pic.twitter.com/S4xJN3bfPG
— Dionysis Aravantinos (@AravantinosDA) September 21, 2022
@WorldWideWob @ZachLowe_NBA how many more assists jokic a game gets this way?
— Dud ͛ (@rsorl) September 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/hepsi_gececek/status/1572606919671422977
It changes the game a lot 🙂
— Joker (@supablex) September 21, 2022
Yeah, I don't see how this lasts.
— Uncle George (@UncleGeorgeE) September 21, 2022
game gonna be faster
— Domen Zagar (@Domen128) September 21, 2022
So we basically playing w fake out of bounds; only there to turn the ball over instantly and create runouts.
— David J Daniels (@ddaniels2d) September 21, 2022
In Europe there's no courtside seats as close to the court as in the NBA so the fans can't get to the ball that easily
— Ivan Milas (@IvanMilas13) September 21, 2022
Too many young people here. This rule applied all my basketball career during late 70's and early 80's. Exactly the same but the complete 40' game
— Man L'orde (@LaordenManuel) September 21, 2022
🤣🤣 horrible
— Chima Moneke (@Chimdogg_) September 21, 2022
Soccer style. It's a good rule change. I'd like to know how they handle substitutions. A coach could use subs to slow down inbounds.
Now soccer just needs to adopt basketball's over and back rule to increase scoring and decrease boredom.
— Nicholas Zukin 🐑🔥🌮 (@extramsg) September 21, 2022
Streetball
— Spencer Jolly (@spencer_jolly) September 21, 2022
W rule
— kawhi fan (@KawhiNewEra) September 21, 2022
Is This A Change The NBA Might Consider?
The NBA could easily think about using rules like this, especially when gifted playmakers like Nikola Jokic, Chris Paul, LeBron James, James Harden, Luka Doncic, and others could wreak havoc on the open court through quick inbound passes like this. The latest rule change the NBA made was eliminating the transition take foul.
The ball going out-of-bounds allows many NBA teams to make a quick reset. The primary one is substitutions. Without the game stoppage being enough for players to sub in and sub out, this might become unpopular among coaches and players. Waiting for a foul or using a timeout for substitutions could be extremely cumbersome.
This is not a bad idea, but there is something to be said about fixing something that isn’t broken. While we may get more highlight plays and even higher-scoring games with a rule like this, there is no requirement for the NBA to bring this back into vogue.
