Which of following phrases could be used as a basis for a short story?
the life story of a famous musician
a championship basketball game in which a new player is the star
a family mix-up over selecting a birthday present for Dad
an account of three generations of a British family in India
settling the first earth colony on another planet
the mysterious disappearance of a cake from the pantry
I would say that all scenarios that are not too complex could be a basis for a short story, but also in principle, you could shorten and simplify any story to make a short story out of it!
So there is no clear distinction.
But among the options, the better candidates are:
a championship basketball game in which a new player is the star a family mix-up over selecting a birthday present for Dad the mysterious disappearance of a cake from the pantry
