USA TODAY International Edition
To challenge or not to – and when
Zillgitt: Coaches yet to master NBA’s new rule
After an unsuccessful coach’s challenge three weeks ago, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he hated the rule.
By last week, he had changed his mind after a successful challenge overturned a foul called on the Clippers with 7.3 seconds left, helping Los Angeles beat the Thunder 90- 88.
“I’m changing my opinion. I think the challenge is good for the league, after all,” Rivers deadpanned in the postgame news conference.
Such is the nature of the coach’s challenge, which was implemented for the first time at the start of the 2019- 20 season. You win some, you lose some, but at least a coach has a chance to win, which wasn’t the case until this season.
The league tested the coach’s challenge in the G League and owners voted in favor of bringing it to the NBA on a one- season trial basis for 2019- 20. It can also be extended for future seasons.
Coaches are allowed to challenge three types of plays: a foul called on his team, out- of- bounds calls and goaltending/ basket interference. The coach needs to call timeout immediately at the dead ball and signal to the officiating crew that he wants to challenge the call. A team gets one challenge a game regardless of the outcome, and if the challenge is successful, the team gets the timeout back. If the original call is upheld, the team loses that timeout.
Through Monday, coaches had challenged 152 plays and were 63- 89, a 41.4% success rate. They were 47- 79 on challenging called fouls, 12- 7 on out- ofbounds calls and 4- 3 on goaltending/ basket interference.
“I believe that anything that can safeguard the integrity of the competition and potentially correct something that was wrong is a good thing,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told USA TODAY Sports. Carlisle, who is the president of the National Basketball Coaches Association, made clear that he is speaking for himself on this issue. “Everyone’s been comfortable using it, but it’s an additional adjustment to the decisions you make throughout a game,” he said.
Coaches have altered when to use the challenge, with 114 out of 152 challenges coming in the second half and overtime, including 74 in the fourth quarter. Coaches employ different strategies. Maybe it’s a key play late in the game that could impact the outcome. Maybe it’s to try to get a fourth or fifth foul on a star player reversed.
Even though coaches have expressed frustration, the bottom line is that 41% of challenges have resulted in a correct call.
Carlisle acknowledged it’s a work in progress with coaches figuring out the best time to use the challenge. He believes as more data become available, coaches will home in on the best circumstances.
Bulls coach Jim Boylen used a challenge two minutes into the first quarter of Tuesday’s game against Portland with the Blazers up 3- 2.
In the first five weeks of the season, Houston’s Mike D’Antoni is among the avid challengers, which is no surprise given D’Antoni’s gambling style. He is 5- 5 on challenges. Golden State’s Steve Kerr, Toronto’s Nick Nurse, New York’s David Fizdale and Boston’s Brad Stevens are among the coaches who have challenged at least eight calls.
Philadelphia’s Brett Brown is 0- 5; Brooklyn’s Kenny Atkinson is 3- 0; Portland’s Terry Stotts and Utah’s Quin Snyder are 4- 2; Memphis’ Taylor Jenkins and Charlotte’s James Borrego have challenged just one call.
Sometimes, the challenge can backfire in unexpected ways. In Monday’s game, Stevens challenged a foul called on Enes Kanter. And Stevens was correct. Referees ruled Kanter didn’t commit the foul, but Boston’s Brad Wanamaker did. According to challenge rules, referees can issue a foul to another player. It was Wanamaker’s fourth foul. Stevens was successful in one way yet also lost.
And there’s Nurse, who was unsuccessful on his first six challenges. After losing his second challenge, Nurse said, “I don’t have any idea what I’m doing there. Zero.”
It hasn’t stopped him from using it; he’s been successful twice in 10 attempts.