I thought you were trying to be funny because they had said that earlier during the game on another blockthe official NBA rule......
In basketball, a player's hand is considered part of the ball when it's in contact with the ball, whether they're shooting, dribbling, or passing. This means that a defender can legally hit the hand without committing a foul, as long as they make contact while the ball handler or shooter has the ball in their hands. However, purposeful or excessive contact is not allowed.