The NBA Board of Governors decided to implement a coach’s challenge system into the upcoming 2019-2020 season on Tuesday after a successful testing period during summer league games.
With the latest installation of replay into sports, NBA coaches will now have the ability to challenge any single play during a game that they deem deserving of a second look by officials. The rule change now expands the use of replay since previously officials could only head to the monitors within the final two minutes of a game.
Here is the exact rule change explained by The Washington Post’s Ben Golliver:
NBA’s Board of Governors has approved a coach’s challenge for the 2019-20 season. Details: pic.twitter.com/QxFIba1gfJ
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 10, 2019
Coaches now have the opportunity to challenge almost every single controversial call at any stage of the game. The strategic implications of a sole challenge throughout 48 minutes of action will be extremely interesting to see during next season.
One interesting tidbit about the rule that is similar to the NFL is that a team must have at least one timeout remaining to challenge a call on the floor as the coach must request a challenge after a timeout has been called.
Officials throughout the NBA were heavily scrutinized this past playoffs after several missed calls and botched reviews led to fans everywhere screaming for changes to be made to the current system. (RELATED: LeBron James Hints He Might Wear A Ninja Headband Next Season)
@NBA biggest missed call of the year you cost the @sixers the season you have to dribble pic.twitter.com/vuhcx71JQF
— b b (@boondok1025) May 13, 2019
With more help from reviews in Secaucus, New Jersey, these officials will have to be even more perfect if they want to avoid backlash from NBA fanbases.
I think the rule change will certainly help the game correct some missed calls, however I do think if a challenge results in an overturned call that team should continue receiving extra challenges throughout the game like the MLB does.
The NBA will look at this upcoming season as a trial period to further expand or make alterations to the new rule change. I still anticipate several arguments between officials and head coaches after a blown call loses the game for a team.
