The state of having collected so many personal fouls that your coach benches you as a precaution. Under FIBA rules your fifth personal foul ends your night.
\"He's in foul trouble\" gets said at every half-time and never explained — it means the arithmetic every coach is running: how many fouls does my most important player have, and how much game is left? The standard rule of thumb works for you personally too: keep your foul count below the number of the current quarter. Two fouls in the second quarter means bench, not bravery. Fouls are scarce twice over — personally, because your fifth removes you from the game, and as a team, because from the fifth team foul in a quarter every further one hands the opponent two free throws. The underrated trigger is not aggression but fatigue: once your legs are gone you replace footwork with reaching. Fresh legs are active foul prevention.