NBA emphasizes stricter officiating on push-offs and flopping for 2026-27

The NBA's new season begins with a focus on tightening officiating on push-offs and flopping, as stated by James Jones, the league's head of basketball operations. Key areas include off-arm push-offs, two-hand shoves during screens, freedom-of-movement violations, and straight-line contacts. Monty McCutchen, head of referee development, emphasized the importance of distinguishing between permitted contact and forceful actions. The league aims for more consistent officiating decisions after recognizing variability in calls last season. Officials will also adopt a harsher approach against flopping to curb the issue effectively.

• 7:40 PMYahoo Sports — NBA points of emphasis for 2026-27 include tighter officiating on push-offs and flopping