Fouls Are Actually UP in the Playoffs — So Why Does It Feel More Physical?

One of the best points I've heard on playoff officiating all season came from Monty McCutchen: fouls are actually UP in the playoffs compared to the regular season. More calls, not fewer.⁣
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So when it feels more physical, it's not that refs are swallowing their whistles. It's that players are playing differently. More aggressive, more desperate, more willing to hold and grab. And some of that contact, like what you see Hartenstein doing, just doesn't get called because it doesn't create an advantage or disadvantage.⁣
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That's the whole framework. Advantage, disadvantage. If the hold doesn't affect the play, it's a no call. That's not a double standard. That's the standard.⁣
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The real debate is whether the regular season should be called the same way. I think it should. Coach Nick and Combo break it all down here. #shorts