NBA TEAMS THAT
FOUL THE MOST
See who keeps it clean, and who lives on the wrong side of the whistle.
The Infraction Index™ uses fouls and free throws handed to opponents to measure how heavily NBA teams, divisions, and conferences foul, measured against the prior season's league average of 100.
Scores above 100 indicate a team is fouling more heavily than the prior season's league average; scores below 100 indicate it is fouling less heavily.
How the Infraction Index™ Works
The Infraction Index™ combines fouls and free throws handed to opponents into a single measure of how heavily teams foul. Each part is measured against the prior season's league average, which is set at 100.
Scores above 100 indicate a team is fouling more heavily than the prior season's league average; scores below 100 indicate it is fouling less heavily. Every foul counts, including technical and flagrant fouls; only regular-season games are included.
The NBA color scale runs from 75 to 125, tighter than other leagues, because basketball foul totals vary less from team to team. Colors aren't comparable across leagues.
The visual scale runs from dark gray for lower scores, through white at 100, to orange for higher scores.
Infraction Index™ figures are calculated by Pick A Penalty from SportsDataverse data.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the Infraction Index™ for the NBA?
It is Pick A Penalty's score of how heavily NBA teams foul, combining fouls and free throws handed to opponents in each game, measured against the prior season's league average of 100. It ranks the NBA teams that foul the most, along with the league overall.
What does 100 mean?
100 is the prior season's league average. An Index of 110 means a team is fouling 10% more heavily than that average. Above 100 is where the interesting teams live.
Is the ranking a raw foul count?
No. Teams are ranked by Infraction Index™, which combines fouls and free throws handed to opponents per game, so the team with the most total fouls is not necessarily first. A team with fewer fouls that hands its opponents more free throws can rank higher.
Which fouls count?
Every foul counts, including technical and flagrant fouls; only regular-season games are included. Each team's fouls and the free throws they hand to opponents are averaged per game, then compared with the prior season's league average, which is set at 100.
Where does the data come from?
Infraction Index™ figures are calculated by Pick A Penalty from SportsDataverse data. Pick A Penalty is not affiliated with the NBA or SportsDataverse.
How often is it updated?
It's updated at least weekly throughout the season, often more.