Did some research after reading the CBSsports.com a rticle on Celtics Coach, Joe Mazzulla's, game clock strategy. Honestly, it never occurred to me ( per Jack Maloney ): The obvious question is why? Everyone is familiar with teams letting the ball roll up the floor in the final seconds of games in order to save time, but why have the Celtics started doing it with minutes remaining? In short, they've discovered a loop hole in the way the clock operates. In a nutshell, here it is: 1.) The team in possession of the ball after a made-shot by the opposition has eight (8) seconds to get the ball across the half-court line . 2.) But the game clock is running , while the 8-second rule "clock" and the shot clock don't start until an on-court player actually has possession from the in-bounder. 3.) So a team whose final lead is still in doubt can avoid picking the ball up from the floor as long as no opponent forces them to do so - in which case both the 8-second limit a...
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