The NBA is taking a step forward with its rules and will allow coaches the ability to challenge certain plays beginning next season.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA’s Board of Governors approved the replay center’s ability to initiate instant replay reviews for circumstances such as whether a shot was a 2 or 3-pointer and whether a shot beat the shot clock. Woj says situations for coaching challenges will include personal fouls charged to the coach’s team, called out-of-bounds violations, goaltending, and basket-interference violations.
Among the allowable coaching challenges starting next season: a personal foul charged to coach’s team, a called out-of-bounds violation, and goaltending and basket-interference violations. https://t.co/4vKGlAvCUi
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 10, 2019
The Athletic’s Shams Charania says the challenges will be initiated by coach’s through a signal to the referees rather than by throwing a flag.
Sources: Head coach’s challenge won’t be a physical flag thrown on the field of play like the NFL — it will be a signal from the coach. https://t.co/4wtdzw2FpN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 10, 2019
The subject of coach challenges arose at the NBA’s GM meetings in May, indicating they were likely coming soon.
There was talk at the time that some wanted challenges for just black-and-white situations like goaltending and out of bounds but not for subjective things like personal foul calls. We agree with that.
The more you can keep reviews to objective matters like that rather than subjective calls like fouls, the better. Now they’re just making it more like the NFL, where there’s nothing but complaints about pass interference calls and the like.
