The NBA is constantly on the move in its quest to put on a bigger show at each of its games. For this reason, he usually reviews the regulations at all times to see what things can be modified so that the experience is the best. And it was the turn of one of the most controversial rules that sport had: fouls in transition.
When a team got the ball back and was about to fight back, they were usually called off for an intentional foul if they went straight to the rim with great chances for easy points. That foul, even though it was with the clear intention of cutting off the rival’s advance, if it was not violent, it implied the same punishment as a defensive or offensive foul. No more.
The NBA Board approved a plan to award a free throw to disadvantaged teams on the foul in transition. Thus, the new penalty for the foul in transition will be a shot from the free throw line, which can be attempted by any player of the aggravated team at the time of the game in which the foul was committed and they will maintain possession.
In this way, it is intended to avoid intentional fouls in the event of a turnover and that end up harming the team that received the infraction as they have no greater reward than keeping possession if they were cut off with a foul when they had the opportunity to convert points.
Another novelty, although it was expected, is that the “Play-In”, the mini tournament to define the last two classified for the postseason of each conference, abandoned its experimental status and will definitely remain in the NBA regulations. .
In its current format, the mini-tournament, it has been used for the last two seasons. The teams that finish in seventh through 10th place in the Eastern and Western Conferences meet to determine the last two playoff berths in each conference.
The seventh and eighth teams meet, the winner secures seventh place in the postseason. The ninth plays against the tenth and the loser is eliminated, while the winner will face the loser of the match between the 7th and 8th. The winner of this last duel stays with the eighth place.
