K.J. McDaniels, who is awesome, slapped the air out of a Greivis Vasquez floater Sunday night:
In praise of the swat
Everyone knows it’s best to keep the ball in play. What this post presupposes is: NO, SWATTING IS WAY COOLER.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The ball traveled out of bounds because it was ashamed it ever challenged McDaniels. The Raptors thus regained possession. This turn of events started a classic debate among the SB Nation NBA friends: Should McDaniels have endeavored to keep the ball in play?
The case for tipping the ball to yourself or a teammate is old, obvious and, as of a few years ago, bolstered by analytics. Some will invoke Bill Russell’s name and tell you a careful block instead of a violent one values teamwork and smart play over hotdogging. Others will tell you that, duh, you should vie for possession of the ball whenever possible.
My counter-arguments are the following:
1. LOOK AT THAT VIDEO. IT’S AWESOME.
2. Strategic tapping isn’t a sure thing. You’re fully extended in mid-air and the ball is loose. Sending the ball out of bounds surrenders possession, but it also allows you to set your defense. A mis-tipped ball is not that different from a save under your own basket. If the opponent snatches it, it could be an easy score.
3. SERIOUSLY LOOK AT IT.
4. As Dwight Howard once argued (not the opening clause to a strong case, I know, but stay with me), a block out of bounds constitutes a short-term loss for a long-term gain. The opponent gets the ball back, but they also know they’ll run the risk of co-starring in someone else’s highlight every time they enter the paint. You’d need some heavy game-tracking and stats to test this, but it’s possible that a violent swat shifts shot selection away from the paint for the rest of the game. Nobody wants to get spanked twice.
5. The ball ends up in a fan’s hands/face. Interactive viewing experience!
6. We’re all going to die someday, so what’s the difference?
