As the NBA approaches a new decade, the league understands the need to embrace changes and come with new innovations. One or those changes will come with the addition of the new challenge feature, which will be granted to coaches.
Like in football, coaches will now have the ability to challenge referees on calls they deem unfair from their perspective. While it’s apart of the game, there have been lots of questionable calls over the last few seasons that has, unfortunately, affected the outcome of games.
While some coaches will be excited that a remedy is set in place, there will be some who aren’t open to the idea. Enter Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, who has most recently stated to not be a fan of the change.
From Rivers' perspective, he thinks the new rule change will add more to referees plates.
Doc Rivers says Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams asked him to throw out the challenge flag in the #Clippers loss to the Nuggets. Said he knew it was a foul, but Pat and Lou bet him that it wasn’t a foul.
Adds that he doesn’t anticipate using the challenge flag often this year. pic.twitter.com/je1ebo0m0r
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 12, 2019
Of course, the challenge system will have its benefits. Referees will have a chance to get things right, while players and coaches can be satisfied with the outcomes of games more. However, the rule change may result in slowing the game down.
Referees aren’t perfect, and maybe what Doc Rivers is alluding to is the challenge system is adding more responsibility for referees to be perfect. And of course, they will not be.
Hopefully, with trial and error the NBA can monitor and adjust the new system as it needs fit. Maybe the challenge system will work in the Clippers coach's favor if he does indeed choose to utilize it.
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