Shoulder to shoulder contact
 

For some reason, I've seen more shoulder-to-shoulder contact between dribbler and defender over the last couple of weeks.

A-1 dribble-drives, guarded by B-2. The two look like conjoined twins, joined at the shoulder. The defender has no LGP. Sometimes, the defender and dribbler are facing the same direction, and sometimes the opposite.

So far, I have nothing here. It's difficult to see any advantageous contact in these situations. Still, I wonder, at what typical point would that nothing become a charge?

If a dribbler pushes with an elbow or any outstreched limb, I couldn't care less about LGP. I would have a charge then. However, I wouldn't call a shoulder a limb.

Thoughts?

It can be a foul on either player, if one crowds the other out of his path, and, in doing so, puts that player at a disadvantage. A significant amount of incidental contact is common in this situation.

You do not have to have LGP to have a call against the ball handler. No player can use their arms to gain an advantage or to impede the movement of an opponent. I cannot tell you when that happens in your judgment. All I can say is it is a foul when that impeding takes place.

Peace

remember RSBQ (rythm, speed, balance, quickness)...if ANY of those are affected/interrupted/impeded by the contact of the defender, you have a foul on the defender.

another way to look at it, is to ask yourself: "who is responsible for the contact?".

when no LGP, the defender is responsible for the contact that affects RSBQ.

when no LGP, the dribbler is responsible for the contact when he leans into/pushes off the defender with any body part (hip, shoulder, arm, etc).

simply put, when a player (offense or defense) has done nothing to cause the contact - you cannot penalize that player.

when a player (offense or defense) creates/initiates the contact - he should be penalized.