NBA rule changes explained: Take foul, scoring changes, and more

These are the rule changes to be aware of for the 2022-23 NBA season.

Each year, the NBA takes the offseason as an opportunity to review its rulebook and make updates and changes to improve the quality of the game. Along with the important dates, fans need to know about these new rules.

In recent years we’ve seen points of emphasis on freedom of movement for offensive players and updates preventing players from gaining trips to the free-throw line on obviously unnatural offensive shot attempts.

So, entering the 2022-23 season, what are the updates that will change the way the game is played this year? Let’s take a look.

NBA rule changes: Take foul gets higher penalty this year

The take foul will be dead for most of the game this year. The take foul is when a player makes an intentional foul (that doesn’t make a play on the ball), typically on a fast break, to stop an easy basket, usually after a steal or other turnover. This year, take fouls will result in:

• A free throw by the offensive team (can be attempted by any of the five players on the floor at the time of the foul)
• Possession of the ball after the free throw

That means a take foul could potentially translate to a four-point play. It’s hardly worth it for any team to commit such an offense any longer.

The take foul, before this year, made for an unpleasant viewing experience because it stops the game and results in a side-out (unless the team is over the foul limit, in which case a take foul is usually disadvantageous to the team committing it anyway).

In the final two minutes of the game (whether in the fourth quarter or overtime) this rule will not be in effect. Frequently, teams are over the foul limit anyway and don’t have this at their disposal this late in the game.

NBA rule changes: Scoring reviews will get dedicated light and more immediate process

Scoring reviews will get a fresh look. Here are the updates:

• Scoring reviews will happen while games are still in action.
• After the league’s officiating hub in Secaucus, NJ makes a decision on a scoring play (i.e. changing a 3-pointer to a 2-pointer because a player’s foot was on the line) a blue light will flash.
• At the next dead ball, the score update will be announced and recorded.

The NBA’s post on the rule changes notes that this is intended to eliminate situations like the Miami Heat losing points they thought they had minutes after the fact:

"“It’s designed to eliminate situations like the one in Game 7 of last season’s Eastern Conference finals, when Miami’s Max Strus made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter for the Heat in their game against the Boston Celtics. About 3 minutes of game time passed before fans in Miami were alerted that those three points were coming off the scoreboard, after the replay center said Strus stepped out of bounds — though the Heat argued that night that they had not seen any definitive angle saying he was clearly on the line.”"

Such delayed information drastically changes a team’s strategy, and so the updates will give the team more information in real-time to best decide how to use their personnel and game plan.

Other areas that will be emphasized by referees

Here are some quick-hitting things referees will be looking at this year:

• Continued emphasis on freedom of movement for offensive players
• Respect for the game — Not being “overly demonstrative” toward officials
• Bench conduct — Players getting too close to the action on side and baseline

Overall, the take foul is the most drastic rule change. These should be relatively positive changes to the game for the most part.