We are not willing to concede victory yet! Here is a closer look at the Travel heard ’round Twitter…we don’t have an HD feed or the editing skills to get much clearer footage, but we think this still supports our view.
Lebron has picked up the ball and is stepping onto the floor with his left foot. Notice where his foot plants, nearly on the lane line…
Here is what we saw as the second step…look at where that left foot is now (it’s no longer on the lane line) and his right foot has not hit the ground yet. So, somehow, LeBron managed to take off with his left foot and the next foot to touch the ground was the same left foot…and it wasn’t a slide or a heel-to-toe movement. It went into the air. So, according to the NBA website if a player jumps off of, and then lands on, the same foot it is a travel.
And here is what we see as step 3 of the move, prior to Simmons dislodging the ball while James was in the air.
Looks like the NBA has to figure out if they want to protect the king or protect the rule book on this one…
