Alright, let’s dive into this whole “carries are so bad in the NBA” thing. It’s something I’ve been messing around with for a while now, trying to figure out how many are REALLY happening and if the refs are just blind or what. So, here’s the lowdown on my little experiment.
Phase 1: Observation – Just Watching Games, Man
- First, I just started watching a TON of NBA games. Seriously, hours and hours. I’d focus on one player at a time, especially guards and forwards who handle the ball a lot.
- What I was looking for? Obvious stuff – flipping the wrist under the ball, that kind of blatant carry. But also, those borderline calls where the ball looks like it’s resting a little too long in their hand.
- I quickly realized that what looks like a carry in real-time is tough to judge. Sometimes it’s just a weird angle or fast hands.
Phase 2: Slow-Mo Replays – The Key to Truth?
Okay, just watching wasn’t cutting it. I needed to see these plays in slow motion. Here’s what I did:
- I’d record segments of games where I thought I saw a carry. I’d use my phone to record off my TV screen, yeah, super high-tech.
- Then I’d load those clips into a video editor on my computer (nothing fancy, just the basic stuff).
- I’d slow the playback down to 0.25x or even slower. This is where you REALLY see what’s going on with the hand and the ball.
Phase 3: The “Does the Palm Actually Face Up?” Test
This became my golden rule. I’d freeze-frame the video at the point where I suspected a carry, and then ask myself: “Can I see ANY part of the player’s palm facing upwards, underneath the ball?”
- If the answer was YES, even a sliver of palm, I’d mark it down as a possible carry.
- If the answer was NO, even if it looked suspect, I’d give the player the benefit of the doubt.
- The key here is consistency. Gotta be fair to everyone.
Phase 4: Data Collection – Making Sense of the Chaos
Alright, so I’m watching games, recording clips, and judging in slow-mo. Now I needed to keep track of everything. I used a simple spreadsheet:
- Column 1: Player Name
- Column 2: Game Date
- Column 3: Time of the Suspected Carry (e.g., Q3, 7:45 remaining)
- Column 4: “Palm Up?” (Yes/No)
- Column 5: Notes (Anything specific about the play)
I aimed to watch at least 3 full games a week, focusing on different teams and players.
Phase 5: The (Inconclusive) Results
Here’s the thing: after all that work, I didn’t find some earth-shattering conspiracy. Here’s what I learned:
- Carries DO happen. No doubt about it. But they’re not as constant or blatant as some people claim.
- The “borderline” calls are REALLY tough. What looks like a carry at full speed is often just a funky dribble move.
- Refs probably miss some. They’re human. They’re watching 10 players at once, not focusing on one guy’s hand.
- Some players are definitely more prone to carries than others. I won’t name names, but you know who they are… the guys with the extra shifty handles.
Final Thoughts: Am I Gonna Keep Doing This? Probably Not.
Honestly, it was a lot of work for not much payoff. But it DID give me a better appreciation for how difficult it is to ref an NBA game. And it made me a little less likely to scream “CARRY!” at my TV. A little.
Maybe I’ll try tracking travels next… nah, just kidding (probably).
