NEW YORK — The NBA Rules Committee concluded a four-hour offseason session Thursday after attempting to formally define “marginal contact.”
The group reviewed dozens of clips, several legal interpretations and one extremely detailed presentation.
At issue was how much contact should be considered too minor to warrant a foul.
Officials discussed force, balance, displacement, advantage and whether the player visibly reacts.
One committee member proposed a numerical scale.
Another immediately asked how force would be measured in real time.
The idea was abandoned.
After lengthy debate, the group reportedly settled on a practical standard:
“You know it when you see it.”
Referees were satisfied.
Fans were not.
The league considers the issue resolved until approximately 8:07 p.m. on opening night.
