When did the NBA institute the Defensive Goaltending Rule?

Question

The original rule. Has it always been part of the game or was it put in place sometime in the 30's to 80's? Trying to settle a bet. Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

The goal tending rule was initiated to stop Wilt Chamberlain from dominating the game.

Answer 2

NEW YORK — NBA teams will vote April 12 on a package of rules changes, including allowing zone defenses for the first time.

One proposal already has been dropped: changing goaltending rules to let players touch the ball while it is on the rim.

With scoring down and teams increasingly relying on isolation plays, the league's Board of Governors discussed five possible rule shifts at a meeting last week.

The proposals still on the table:


scrap illegal defense rules.

institute a defensive 3-second rule.

give teams 8 seconds instead of 10 to bring the ball past midcourt.

redefine incidental contact to cut down on touch fouls.
Those four will be considered as a package, so either all will be accepted or none will. The vote will be done by conference call and the measures need approval from 20 of the 29 teams.

The idea is to discourage teams from gearing offenses toward 2-on-2 or 1-on-1 isolation plays in which a majority of a team's players stand idle on the weak side to draw their defenders away from the ball.

That strategy has helped drain points over the last decade, with scoring down about three points per team per game from last season.

The goaltending guideline didn't last long, but Colangelo said it could be brought back and tested during summer league games

Answer 3

I'm betting it's when they found out that some people were over 7 feet tall and all they had to do to block any shot was jump up and swat it away.