Confirmation the NBA has a "loose" definition of assist

[wildturkey]

https://deadspin.com/are-these-assists-1821437746

Watching games the last couple of years, especially with Westbrook and Harden exploding for triple doubles, I had started paying more attention to what was counted as an assist. I always thought an assist was a pass that led DIRECTLY to a basket, which means the shooter goes directly into his motion. No fakes, no extra dribbles (two is fine if its continuation to the basket). I saw other shots being counted as assists and figured maybe I was wrong or other people just didn't notice.

Nope. Look at those vids. All of them were counted as assists. LOL. It looks like the new definition of an NBA assist is now whoever passed you the ball before you made a shot gets an assist regardless of how much time has passed.

 

[Robotech]

https://deadspin.com/are-these-assists-1821437746

Watching games the last couple of years, especially with Westbrook and Harden exploding for triple doubles, I had started paying more attention to what was counted as an assist. I always thought an assist was a pass that led DIRECTLY to a basket, which means the shooter goes directly into his motion. No fakes, no extra dribbles (two is fine if its continuation to the basket). I saw other shots being counted as assists and figured maybe I was wrong or other people just didn't notice.

Nope. Look at those vids. All of them were counted as assists. LOL. It looks like the new definition of an NBA assist is now whoever passed you the ball before you made a shot gets an assist regardless of how much time has passed.

Is the two-dribble thing actually in the definition? I remember learning that as a kid, and I've never questioned it, but it's a valid point to question whether the passers in the video examples really deserve an assist. In each video, the scorer didn't take more than two dribbles before the shot, but yeah, it's reasonable to argue that the scorer created the shot-making opportunity and that the help from the passer was so minimal that an assist is not merited.

 

[wildturkey]

Is the two-dribble thing actually in the definition? I remember learning that as a kid, and I've never questioned it, but it's a valid point to question whether the passers in the video examples really deserve an assist. In each video, the scorer didn't take more than two dribbles before the shot, but yeah, it's reasonable to argue that the scorer created the shot-making opportunity and that the help from the passer was so minimal that an assist is not merited.

I don't really know if its in the definition or not. It just seems that way from years of watching. Like I'm imagining a PG on a fast break, hits a SF on the wing cutting to the basket, the SF dribbles twice before the dunk. PG should get an assist. But if the SF takes like 3 dribbles, a crossover, and pump fakes, that shouldn't be an assist (though it seems its being counted more and more)

 

[tlance]

I don't really know if its in the definition or not. It just seems that way from years of watching. Like I'm imagining a PG on a fast break, hits a SF on the wing cutting to the basket, the SF dribbles twice before the dunk. PG should get an assist. But if the SF takes like 3 dribbles, a crossover, and pump fakes, that shouldn't be an assist (though it seems its being counted more and more)

It is definitely subjective.

If you draw a help defender and kick to a teammate creating a closeout which allows your teammate to get an open 1 dribble pull-up or a straight line drive to the rim, then I am okay with that being an assist. Some of the examples in the video take it too far though. They key for me is that the pass creates a significant advantage for the scorer.

Assists are definitely awarded much more liberally than they were in the past.

 

[MHSL82]

I wonder how much bigger of a lead John Stockton would have if the assists were called this liberally? I realize Jason Kidd, et al would have more assists, too, but Kidd shot more - so Kidd's assists were likely to be direct assists but fewer passes. Stockton passed more and had more direct assists, so I presume there would be a gap.

 

[redseat]

This is from 2015

https://deadspin.com/nba-court-factors-how-assists-arent-as-unbiased-as-you-1694917271

 

[broncosmitty]

I'd like to see assists given more like they are in hockey.

Passes that lead to a pass that's an assist is also an assist. But I know that'll never happen.

 

[MHSL82]

I'd like to see assists given more like they are in hockey.

Passes that lead to a pass that's an assist is also an assist. But I know that'll never happen.

It would render the triple double less important, but I see what you mean. I would expect a lot of power forwards to get more triple doubles. Rebounding point guards would also get more triple doubles. So would small forwards. It would be handed out more often to everyone, that I wouldn't expect centers to get as many as other positions.

 

[broncosmitty]

It would render the triple double less important, but I see what you mean. I would expect a lot of power forwards to get more triple doubles. Rebounding point guards would also get more triple doubles. So would small forwards. It would be handed out more often to everyone, that I wouldn't expect centers to get as many as other positions.

Only if they inbound the ball. And try to push tempo with passes heading towards midcourt. Or traditional bugs that kick out to the corner and then the ball gets swung back to the middle. No assisting yourself though.


Old concepts of what constitutes a good amount of assists would have to change.

But credit would be given statistically for good basketball that never has been before. A lot of times it's that first pass that lets the assist happen.

Just something I've always thought about. Not anything I expect to see.