NBA expands scope of out-of-bounds coaches challenges, violations can now be punished after review

This play best summarizes the NBA’s announced change in what officials can call on a coach’s challenge for an out-of-bounds play. During the Western Conference Finals, Dallas’ Kyrie Irving reached inside and fouled Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels, causing McDaniels to lose the ball out of bounds. On the court, the officials didn’t call the foul, but they did call the ball out of bounds for Irving. Dallas called the foul, but according to the rules, the officials couldn’t change their call to call Irving a foul; all they could do was change the call to call it out of bounds for McDaniels, a successful challenge that gave the Mavericks the ball. (After the game, the officials admitted they missed the call, but said there was nothing they could do other than call it Dallas’ ball.)

That is no longer the case, as the league has expanded the use of the coach’s challenge and referees can now convert their decision into a foul.

There are three conditions: 1) The foul must be committed by a player involved in play outside the lines (not anywhere else on the field); 2) The referees look at the distance between the foul and play outside the lines; 3) How much time elapses between the foul and play outside the lines?

The league is working on keeping this very specific, but it came up a few times last season. It won’t lead to more judging, as it can only happen during a coach’s challenge (though those challenges can be longer in these cases).

The rule change was recommended by the NBA’s Competition Committee, which consists of players, coaches, owners, team and league executives, and referees. They forwarded the change to the Board of Governors, which approved it.