Some point guards have me scratching my head about the way they handle backcourt violations. Here's three scenarios: Scenario 1 - The defense knocks the ball from the frontcourt to the backcourt. The offensive point guard immediately runs to get the ball in the backcourt and brings it back over the line, saving the possession. Simple enough, right? Scenario 2 - The offense throws a bad pass into the backcourt. Offensive point guard immediately chases the ball down because he knows its a turnover and doesn't want the defense to pick it up and get an easy basket. Ball goes to defense at the midcourt line. Scenario 3 - The offense throws a bad pass into the backcourt. Offensive point guard lazily trots after the ball, and picks it up just before it goes out of bounds. Why? Sometimes it seems like the point guard is waiting for a sign from the ref - i.e., he doesn't know if the defense touched it or not. Other times, it's obvious the point guard knows it's a backcourt violation, but he still lets the ball roll all the way down the court. But I've never understood this. Why let the ball roll forever like its a punt or something? The defense is going to inbound the ball at the same place - midcourt line. And if you are not going to pick it up immediately, why pretend like you are "saving" it from going out of bounds? What difference would it make if they just let it roll away and let some fan throw it back to the ref?
Oftentimes, if there is a defensive player in the vicinity, you'd want to give them an ample chance to touch the ball, making it legal for you to grab it back up and saving your team from a backcourt violation.
If you let some fan throw it back to the ref, it is inbounded wherever it went out, probably much closer to the basket than the half court line.
