NBA's transition 'take foul' to be penalized in 2022-23 season; play-in tournament made permanent
LAS VEGAS — The NBA transition “take foul” during games will result in a stricter penalty starting with the 2022-23 season, the league announced after a Board of Governors meeting. The board approved the measure during its meeting Tuesday.
The NBA’s Competition Committee moved forward with a proposal to grant the team on offense with one free throw and possession of the ball if the team on defense employs the take foul, sources said.
The take foul was overly used by teams on defense to eliminate fast-break opportunities in which the defending team was at a numbers disadvantage. After the foul, the offensive team was previously given the ball out of bounds. The tactic also led to a disruption of game flow and it bogged the game down.
Another modification the committee will submit to the BOG for approval will be enforcing proper bench decorum by issuing stiffer penalties, sources said. One of a few principal matters on decorum are players standing up at the bench for extended portions of the game, obstructing the view of fans sitting behind the bench, sources said. There was no immediate announcement to a change in policy after the BOG meeting.
Fans have lobbed complaints at the league, expressing how they’re purchasing expensive seats with a blocked vantage point, sources said.
The Dallas Mavericks were fined a total of $175,000 throughout the 2022 playoffs for violation of bench decorum.
The BOG on Tuesday also approved the adoption of the play-in tournament before the postseason on a permanent basis after one-year runs in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
