The NBA will place increased focus on enforcing rules against offensive players using their off-arm to push defenders in order to create space, starting with the 2026-27 season. The league and its referees identified this as a key area for regulation in the season’s points of emphasis, which highlight specific player foul tendencies officials aim to manage more strictly.

NBA officials demonstrated to media members video examples of push offs that the league considers illegal. In one notable instance, Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown was shown delivering a full left-handed push to Philadelphia’s Kelly Oubre, causing Oubre to stumble back and allowing Brown to take an uncontested midrange shot. That play was correctly called an offensive foul, and the league has signaled its intent to call similar infractions more consistently. A second example, involving Celtics guard Payton Pritchard nudging Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt at Crypto.com Arena, was not called a foul but now falls under increased scrutiny. Pritchard’s use of his arm to create space before hitting a three-pointer is expected to be penalized under the league’s renewed emphasis.

Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s head of referee development and training, clarified that the distinguishing factor is the extension of the arm. Push offs are permissible if the arm is used merely to feel or gauge the defender’s position without full extension. He cited a Celtics-76ers playoff moment where Seth Curry gave Sam Hauser a shoulder and slight push before stepping back for a three-point attempt; that play went uncalled, despite vocal fan displeasure, and aligns with the league’s current boundaries.

The second area of focus concerns how screeners use their hands while setting picks. The NBA wants referees to crack down on players who use both hands to push defenders away, especially cases where players shove opponents in the back to clear a path for a roll to the basket. Increasing enforcement is planned to curb these tactics, which have become more prevalent.

McCutchen acknowledged that officials often lag slightly behind players, who continuously test the limits of legal play. He said referees tend to enforce these points more rigorously early in the season but may ease back as the year progresses. The league’s competition committee works closely with officials to monitor these developments and strives to strike a balance that preserves fair competition between offense and defense.

“Our goal is to ensure the defensive side of the ball is not unfairly compromised by offensive players’ illegal actions,” McCutchen said. He emphasized that while perfection is unattainable, a high standard of officiating is expected, especially given the skill level of players pushing these boundaries. The league has seen success over the past decade enforcing other rules related to player movement and fouls and aims to continue that progress by reducing offensive fouls related to off-arm push offs and illegal screens throughout the season.