The infinite timeout loophole that almost broke the 1976 NBA Finals | Weird Rules

The Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns faced off in the 1976 NBA Finals, and with the game in double overtime the Suns did something so genius that it seemed idiotic. But really, they just knew the rules. They called a timeout they didn't have, and were assessed with a technical foul, but it allowed them to inbound the ball from half court instead of under their own basket. With just 1 second left, this meant they had a better chance to get a shot off, and without knowing how to break the rules in your favor, it never would've worked.

Watch the video to find out what happened after that, and also why a fan fought a referee in the middle of all of this.

Written and produced by Ryan Simmons and Seth Rosenthal
Shot by Mike Imhoff
Animations and graphics by Philip Pasternak

[CodyHeredia]

Little did they know that in 1976, they were setting in motion a large chain of events that would ultimately culminate with me blowing a game of NBA 2k because I didn't realize I had no timeouts left.

[davidhayden]

No 3-point line in 1976. Being down 3 points with one second would be a very big deal.

[kristianutomotobing]

Coach : we need a time out
Shaq : on it
*Proceed to break the ring*
Coach : Nice

[MusicBent]

This seems like exactly the thing Bill Belichic would do if he coached basketball

[aziris]

Coach: I call a timeout.
Ref: You can't do that, you're out of timeouts.
Coach: You're right. I call a timeout.
Ref: Okay.

[MrJethroha]

If that rule had been noticed in our times, the NBA probably would've kept it to pad out ad space in the final minutes of the game

[TheVirtualBomb]

Chris Webber made multiple accounts just to dislike this video

[rayhs]

Have you heard of the "Germany Shaefer rule" in baseball? (Rule 7.08i) It stops people from running the bases clockwise. In 1911 trying a double steal with a man on 3rd he stole 2nd and then on the next pitch stole 1st trying to draw a throw.

[PavarottiAardvark]

Weird rules from F1 motor racing:

There was a "no moveable aero parts" rule, but there was nothing saying that a driver couldn't block a part with his body, leaving to the "F-Duct"

There was a rule prohibiting 'fully enclosed holes" in the floor of the car's aerodynamics, but one team argued that as holes were non-existant emptry spaces, the holes in their car weren't part of their car....

[francoeurtim]

Weird Rules: a few years ago a goalie in the American Hockey League names David Leggio was facing a 2-on-0 and rather than face it, he turned around and knocked his own net off its moorings. This results in a penalty shot which he stops. The AHL immediately passes a rule making this play result in an automatic goal, problem solved.

A few years later, David Leggio is playing in Germany and DOES THE EXACT SAME THING AGAIN.

[nown]

What if I told you there was a weird rule in cricket that was exploited so viciously that it became a national political incident and tarnished the reputations of those involved for the rest of their lives.

I propose to you underarm bowling. 1981.

[agentdisastr]

How about that weird Bulls team rule that prevented players from wearing headbands? Lol

[DavidWilliamsaz]

The Suns made it to the Finals in 1993 and had a triple overtime game in Chicago. Paul Westphal was a Suns player in 1976 and their coach in 1993. After winning the triple overtime game Westphal said the good guys won this time.

[markjones]

Basketball is my favorite sport. I like the way they dribble up and down the court.

[ethannguyen]

Me: *clicks on video because loophole funny
YouTube: You must love basketball

[cpfalcon]

I have a feeling that professional basketball in the 70's was more similar to Will Farrell's "Semi-Pro" than people realize (not just the ABA, but the NBA as well).

[NickyPoutine]

Anyone here after Draymond called a timeout with none left in the finals?

[davidclark]

This rule was literally just used in Game 6 of this year's finals and I knew about it cuz if this video. What an insane ending!

[haydenblanchard]

all i understood from this video was that if you’re gonna be bad then learn the rules so you can know when and where to break the rules

[Gengar]

One of my favourite weird rules is the Italy vs England rugby game where Italy refused to ruck after the tackle and so could technically play offside. The whole England team had no idea what to do.