In Memo #4, we reviewed the Defensive Three-Second (“D3”) rule.  As noted in that explanation, the D3 rule seems simple, but is actually rather complex, with five different caveats that affect the legality of defensive players in the lane and the count itself.  The same is true for the Offensive Three-Second (“O3”) rule, although there are only two caveats that affect the count.

The O3 rule states that an offensive player cannot be in the lane for more than three seconds while his team has control of the ball. The count starts when the offensive player enters or is in the lane and his team has control of the ball in the frontcourt (if a player is in the lane and his team has control of the ball in the backcourt, there is no count).  The count stops when a shot is taken, the player exits the lane or there is a loss of team control/possession (for example, a strip followed by the offensive team regaining control would start new count).

However, the rulebook also includes two actions the player in the lane can take to discontinue (or pause) the count:

 

1. If the player is in the act of shooting before or at the end of the third second, the count is discontinued while he is in continuous motion toward the basket, or
2. If the player will imminently exit the lane, the count is discontinued until he exits.

 

If the player stops his continuous motion toward the basket or stops short of exiting the lane, respectively, the count resumes where it was discontinued.

2015-16 REFEREE OPERATIONS MEMO #12 – THE OFFENSIVE THREE-SECOND RULE

Here are two examples of an offensive player in the lane illegally for more than three seconds:

The highlighted player is in the lane for more than three seconds and a violation is called.

http://dmmx2.nba.com/videourlredirect?&project=/bballops/bballops_O_3_Memo_02

The highlighted player is in the lane for more than three seconds and a violation is called, even though the player’s teammate is in the lane with the ball when the three-second count is reached.

http://dmmx2.nba.com/videourlredirect?&project=/bballops/bballops_O_3_Memo_03

Here are two examples of an offensive player in the lane legally for more than three seconds:

The highlighted player receives a pass and starts a continuous motion toward the basket before the three-second count is reached.  A foul is called.

http://dmmx2.nba.com/videourlredirect?&project=/bballops/bballops_O_3_Memo_Legal_01

The highlighted player starts to exit the lane before the three-second count is reached, and he does not stop until he clears the lane.

http://dmmx2.nba.com/videourlredirect?&project=/bballops/bballops_O_3_Memo_Legal_13

In Memo #10, we noted that we would be posting “Making the Call with Joe Borgia” more frequently and across social media and NBA.com platforms. Last week, Joe highlighted a play in which an offensive player loses control of the ball while in the lane, which reset the count, and then after regaining control, the player started his motion toward the basket. Together, these two events resulted in a long – but legal – count in the lane.

http://dmmx2.nba.com/videourlredirect?&project=/bballops/bballops_MTC_O_3_example