NBA Approves Coach's Challenge for Upcoming Season
Good morning.
The proposed NBA coach’s challenge is now reality, with the Board of Governors approving that change as part of two rule tweaks for the 2019-2020 season.
The first change is the introduction of a Coach’s Challenge to trigger instant replay review of a limited set of matters. A version of the Coach’s Challenge that has been in effect in the NBA G League for the last two seasons and is being used at MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2019 will be adopted in the NBA on a one-year trial basis during the 2019-20 season.
All teams will be given one challenge per game, which can be used on the following:
- a foul call against your squad
- out of bounds calls
- goaltending or basket interference
Anything taking place within the last two minutes of the game is not challengeable, as referees will trigger those reviews instead. Coaches, to challenge, will have to call timeout and then “twirl their finger” to signal the refs.
Here’s the other tweak to the rules, after the jump:
The second change enables the NBA Replay Center (in addition to the on-court referees) to trigger instant replay in certain circumstances. This process, which was successfully tested at MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 and is being used again at this year’s event, will be implemented for the 2019-20 NBA season.
Those circumstances include potential shot clock violations and the whether or not a player scored or shot from two-point or three-point range. The league will have a new “courtside administrator” who will sit at the scorer’s table and act as a link between the on-court referees and the Replay Center.
Unfortunately, you can’t challenge or review traveling violations, like the one Kawhi Leonard committed before hitting the game winner over the Sixers back in May.