Why "A Foul Is a Foul" Gets NBA Officiating Dead Wrong

The phrase "a foul is a foul" drives me crazy, and here's why it's wrong.⁣
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The NBA doesn't officiate contact. It officiates advantage and disadvantage. If a guy gets slapped on the shoulder and blows right past the defender without missing a step, what exactly are we calling? The contact happened, sure, but there was zero possession consequence.⁣
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That's the term Coach Nick and Combo use here, and it's the right one. The L2M report literally uses the phrase "disadvantaged player" on every single play they evaluate. That language isn't accidental. It's the whole framework.⁣
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Subtle contact that causes a player to fall, lose the ball, or fail to complete a pass? That gets called. Contact that has no effect on the play? That's a no-call, and it should be.⁣
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There's real nuance to this game. The sooner fans understand the advantage-disadvantage standard, the better these conversations get. #shorts