Four-point play
In basketball, a four-point play is the rare occasion when an offensive player shoots and makes a three-point field goal while simultaneously being fouled by a defensive player, resulting in a shooting foul and one free throw attempt, or a two-point field goal and is intentionally or flagrantly fouled on the shot and is awarded two free throws. If the player makes his/her free throws, they will have scored four points on a single possession. The short-lived American Basketball League first introduced the four-point play to the game of basketball, and it was later adopted by the American Basketball Association during its inaugural season. The National Basketball Association introduced that rule in 1979; FIBA in 1984; the NCAA in 1986 and 1987 ; middle and high schools in 1987; and the WNBA in 1997.
Sam Smith of the Chicago Bulls completed the first four-point play in NBA history on October 21, 1979, in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Dale Ellis was the first player in NBA history to complete two four-point plays in the same game when he did so in a win against the Sacramento Kings on January 26, 1988. On April 29, 2009, James Jones completed two four-point plays in a span of eleven seconds. As of now, Jamal Crawford is the league's career leader in regular-season four-point plays with 55, and 60 when including postseason play.
