Listen, promise that you won’t hate me, but any time I’m playing pickup basketball and the opposing team is one point away from winning, and my assignment creates an advantage, I intentionally foul them. I’m gentle about it, but I still foul them.
From an analytical standpoint, my strategy makes sense. I have an unlimited number of fouls in pickup basketball, so why not foul to avoid conceding the game-winning layup? Why not force them to hit a tough jumper to beat you?
Fortunately, from an entertainment standpoint, you can’t replicate my strategy in an NBA game.