NEW YORK — NBA officials have introduced “straight-line pathway plays” as part of this season’s officiating guidance, prompting players, coaches and fans across the league to immediately understand absolutely everything.
The term refers to situations involving offensive players driving on a direct path while defenders attempt to establish legal guarding position.
At least that is what everyone believes.
The league provided video examples.
Those helped somewhat.
Officials then began explaining legal positioning, displacement, verticality, timing and responsibility for contact.
Understanding declined rapidly.
One fictional player reportedly watched the presentation, nodded thoughtfully and later admitted he had no idea what anyone was talking about.
Referees insist the terminology will help create more consistent calls.
Fans responded by asking whether “guy ran into other guy” was already taken.
Coaches are now studying the guidance and teaching players how to defend straight-line drives without committing fouls, blocking the pathway, entering the pathway, leaving the pathway or becoming spiritually involved with the pathway.
The NBA believes clarity will improve once games begin.
Everyone else plans to wait until the first controversial whistle and decide based entirely on which team they support.
