NBA Highlights Flopping, Landing Space and Freedom of Movement in New Guidance
The NBA has released fresh officiating guidance for the 2026–27 season, giving fans a useful reference for the contact decisions that often drive debate. The league’s September 30th Areas of Focus presentation addresses flopping, closeouts on jump shots and landing space, along with game administration.
That release follows the September 29th Points of Emphasis presentation. Its listed subjects include offensive players’ off-arm push-offs, freedom of movement around screens, perimeter and post movement, and straight-line pathway plays. Together, the two releases identify the situations the league wants viewers and participants to understand.
Both presentations are narrated by Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s senior vice president and head of referee development and training. The league describes the videos as examples and guidance. These announcements should be read as explanations of officiating priorities, rather than proof that every listed subject represents a newly adopted rule.
For a viewer, the practical approach is to follow one category at a time. On a jump-shot closeout, pay attention to the relationship between the shooter and the approaching defender. Around a screen, look at the movement of both players instead of judging the possession only by who ends up on the floor.
The NBA Video Rulebook offers a separate way to study particular situations. Its clips pair examples of fouls and violations with written explanations, allowing fans to compare the details of a play with the league’s description. That is more informative than treating every contact play as interchangeable.
The video site also states an important limit: it does not replace the official rulebook. If its explanatory language and the written rules differ, the official rulebook controls. Fans looking for a definitive rule should keep that distinction in mind.
PowerPage’s earlier NBA calendar guide covers the season’s upcoming milestones. This update adds a different viewing tool: official explanations to consult when the next disputed screen, push-off or landing-space call becomes the center of the conversation.
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