Report: NBA to test coach’s challenges [Update 7/9 - Measure Passed by NBA BOG!]

[jpotter33]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27074153/nba-allow-coach-challenges-summer

The NBA will implement a coach's challenge at the upcoming summer leagues and anticipates using the rule during 2019-20 regular-season as part of a pilot program, per a memo sent to teams this morning and obtained by ESPN.

Coaches will get one challenge per game, and they will lose it even if the challenge is successful, according to the memo. They can use it to challenge only called fouls; goaltending; basket interference; and plays when the ball is knocked out of bounds, the memo says. The league has tested this version of the challenge system in the G League over the last two seasons.

Coaches must have a timeout remaining to use a challenge. The team must call a timeout immediately after the event they would like to challenge, and the coach must "twirl his/her index finger toward the referees" to signal for the challenge, the memo states. If the challenge is successful, the team retains the timeout it used to stop play. If the challenge is unsuccessful, they lose that timeout.

The crew chief among the referees will determine the outcome of challenges involving called fouls. The NBA's Replay Center will decide all other challenges. Any technical flagrant fouls that occur during or "immediately after" the call being challenged will stand regardless of the outcome of the challenge, the memo says.

Both the league office and the NBA's competition committee, composed of coaches, front-office executives, and players, are recommending the league's Board of Governors approve the rule for the 2019-20 season "on a trial basis," the memo says.

"We anticipate this rule will be in effect in in the NBA next season as part of a one-year pilot program," the memo states.

When the league and its teams discussed the challenge concept at the general managers meetings in May in Chicago, there was some trepidation about allowing coaches to challenge called fouls, per sources who spoke to ESPN.com at the time. Backers of a more expansive challenge have apparently won that argument for now. Coaches will not be able to challenge uncalled fouls. Any attempt to expand the challenge rule into that area would result in a bigger, and likely longer, fight, sources have said.

Approving the proposed challenge rule for use in the 2019-20 regular-season would require support from two-thirds of the league's teams in a formal vote of the Board of Governors. The league will submit it to a vote before the full board on July 9th. "Based on the feedback we have received, we expect it to be adopted," the memo says.

Finally! This is something that I’ve long been begging for. Too many games are decided due to questionable calls down the stretch. This is a good move by the NBA.

[saltlover]

Nice! I say this somewhat cheekily, but challenging called fouls could have an actual impact on a guy like Semi, who gets no respect from refs but makes a lot of terrific plays that are wrongly called fouls.

[bdm860]

Are they replacing the replay rule with this, or is it basically just adding "fouls" to the replay rules that are already in place?  I'm not really a fan of more stoppages in the closing minute of a game.

Every single close game, any foul called in the last minute is going to be challenged.  This will slow games down, and since just about any contact is technically a foul, how many will actually be reversed?

Will this cause the refs to call more fouls down the stretch, knowing the coaches can challenge it?

I just worry this is going to drag games out.

[gouki88]

Nice! I say this somewhat cheekily, but challenging called fouls could have an actual impact on a guy like Semi, who gets no respect from refs but makes a lot of terrific plays that are wrongly called fouls.

Man, the amount of bull calls that go against Semi is unreal. His positional defence is excellent and he's as strong as an ox, so naturally he gets penalised

[Who]

Great. Make the game even slower.

[makaveli]

Are they replacing the replay rule with this, or is it basically just adding "fouls" to the replay rules that are already in place?  I'm not really a fan of more stoppages in the closing minute of a game.

Every single close game, any foul called in the last minute is going to be challenged.  This will slow games down, and since just about any contact is technically a foul, how many will actually be reversed?

Will this cause the refs to call more fouls down the stretch, knowing the coaches can challenge it?

I just worry this is going to drag games out.

I was kinda hoping they would replace one with the other, not add to it.

nba games are terrible to watch on tv, and a bunch of time outs, reviewing obvious plays just to make sure, and now this.

basketball is fun because it is fast paced and it ain't over till the buzzer sounds.

remove all review plays, let coaches have 2-3 challenges, which they get back after a proper claim.

[LilRip]

I think it’s a good thing. There are some utterly BS things that happen sometimes during a game and it’s like, everyone except the official could see it.

I’m also glad coaches only get 1. Save it for that ultra crucial play where a foul was called but it was all ball. Or it was a clean block but it was called goaltend

[jpotter33]

Are they replacing the replay rule with this, or is it basically just adding "fouls" to the replay rules that are already in place?  I'm not really a fan of more stoppages in the closing minute of a game.

Every single close game, any foul called in the last minute is going to be challenged.  This will slow games down, and since just about any contact is technically a foul, how many will actually be reversed?

Will this cause the refs to call more fouls down the stretch, knowing the coaches can challenge it?

I just worry this is going to drag games out.

I mean, each team only gets one per game, so it’s not like two per game will slow it down that much. Also, it’ll be decided by the game crew not the guys in Secaucus, so that should make it quicker, too.

I just think there’s too many games whose outcomes are affected by questionable calls to not have something like this. NBA officiating is tough with how fast-paced the game is and how many judgment calls come into play, and it’s getting even harder with how they’re officiating contact to the offensive player now.

[Somebody]

Now we just need Roger Federer on the Celtics

[Rosco917]

Finally, something that makes refs accountable where a tabulation of poor calls can be maintained.

Indeed it makes the game slower, but under the circumstances this is necessary.

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1148741816239263744

Sources: The NBA Board of Governors have passed the implementation of in-game challenge flags for head coaches for the 2019-20 season.

Finally!