[andyfox]

Just common sense. The opposition can score much more easily when it picks up a loose ball near its basket than when the ball is out of bounds.

Lest there be no misundestanding, I think Russell was a great player. If he sometimes blocked a shot, and was able to control it to a teammate, or keep it on the court, it would be a small part of what made him such a terrific player. But I think it's more legend than fact. I heard, when I was a kid, several old-time Yankees say Bill Dickey never went back for a foul pop-up that landed on the screen; I even read it in a baseball book. He could tell whether a ball would land in foul territory or in the stands. Pure legend.