How does a team being in the bonus affect foul strategy throughout the game?

When a team is in the bonus, it means that any subsequent fouls committed by that team will result in free throws for the opponents. This situation significantly alters the strategy for both teams during the game.

The team in the bonus must be particularly cautious when it comes to committing fouls, as their opponents can capitalize on these fouls to score easy points from the free-throw line. Consequently, the team may decide to play more conservatively, limiting their aggressiveness on defense to avoid sending opponents to the charity stripe frequently.

Choosing to play aggressively to force turnovers when in the bonus could lead to unnecessary fouls, which would be counterproductive because it gives the opposing team free scoring opportunities. Thus, while a team might still look for defensive steals or other advantages, they are likely to do so with greater restraint than usual to avoid putting themselves in a foul situation.

In summary, being in the bonus clearly opens up more opportunities for the opponents to score via free throws, necessitating a strategic adjustment in how the team approaches fouling throughout the game.