The NBA’s new rule emphasis could hurt Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and actually give defenses a chance

The NBA's first point of emphasis this year is outlawing off-arm push-offs for drivers. This has been a weapon for star scorers dating back to Michael Jordan's series-clinching shot in the 1998 NBA Finals, but it seemed to get more egregious this past season with players fully extending their off-arm to gain separation from their defender. This move has been particularly effective for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and I'd go as far as to say that it has helped fuel his rise to a 2x MVP that absolutely no one saw coming when he entered the league out of Kentucky.

The league dropped a video explaining their points of emphasis for this season, and even though SGA isn't included in the examples, he feels like the main person who will be under the spotlight on this. Check it out here:

The league's other early point of emphasis is banning push-off screens, which is another big potential boost for defenses around the league. The on-ball push-offs feel more interesting, and I'm fascinated to see how it's officiated throughout the regular season.