NBA to keep coach’s challenge replay rule

FILE — Mike D’Antoni of the Houston Rockets puts in for a challenge on a call during that was accepted during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Two of the Western Conference First Round on August 20, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP

The NBA is keeping the replay rule allowing coaches one challenge of certain officiating decisions per game, the league said Thursday.

The coach’s challenge was introduced last season on a one-year trial basis.

The league said Thursday that the board of governors had approved a recommendation from the competition committee to retain the challenge going forward.

“Our coaches were receptive to the pilot version of the Coach’s Challenge, increasing usage and becoming more comfortable with the concept and strategic aspects as the season progressed,” Byron Spruell, NBA President of League Operations, said in a statement.

During the 2019-20 season, NBA head coaches challenged 633 calls in the regular season and 67 in the playoffs.

The original call on the floor was overturned 281 times in the regular season for an overturn rate of 44 percent. The overturn rate in the post-season was 40 percent.

The board of governors approved language to clarify two specific situations involving the challenge, both of which can affect pace of play.

A team loses its right to challenge the preceding call if it incurs a delay of game violation before initiating the challenge.

And when officials confer to determine the appropriate call, the window of time within which a team must “immediately” challenge the call starts after the officials provide the negatively affected team notice of their final ruling on the play.

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