"I volleyed the ball and almost lost my balance, but was able to use my paddle to keep myself from falling into the non-volley zone. My paddle touched inside the NVZ though. Is that a fault?"
Yes, if your paddle touches the non-volley zone "during the act of volleying", then it is a fault on you, even if nothing else touched the NVZ.
9.B. It is a fault if the volleying player or anything that has contact with the volleying player while in the act of volleying, touches the non-volley zone. For players using wheelchairs, the front (smaller) wheels may touch the non-volley zone.

9.B.1. The act of volleying the ball includes the swing, the follow-through, and the momentum from the action.

9.B.2. If the paddle touches the non-volley zone during the volley motion, before or after contacting the ball, it is a fault.
As you can see, rule 9.B.2. specifically mentions your paddle touching the NVZ.
You'll also notice that rule 9.B.1. specifies that the "act of volleying" includes the swing itself. That means that even if your paddle hits the kitchen BEFORE you hit the ball out of the air, it's still a fault.
Pickleball Addict
Pickleball Cafe Referee
Asked on
Nov 12th, 2022