NBA Board Of Governors to vote on 3 key rule changes, but no coaches challenge

At the end of September the NBA Board of Governors will vote on three key rule changes all tied to speeding up the game.

Every season the NBA competition committee considers elements of the rules which require tweaks, changes or additions. This year there are three which the Board of Governors (BOG) will vote on starting September 20.

Shortened shot clock after offensive rebound:

As a way to speed up the game this rule change would reset the shot clock at :14 seconds instead of a full :24 seconds when an offensive rebound is collected. The league tested this rule change out last twp seasons in the G-League successfully. While it’s intended to speed up the game it will also serve to force teams with leads trying to eat up time into their offensive sets sooner. Thus making the product on the floor more compelling.

Re-defining clear path foul and hostile act rules:

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The BOG will also vote on the redefining two rules with the simplification of the current clear path rule and expanded description for what constitutes a hostile act.

It will be interesting to learn more about the clear path rule alteration. Currently there are five components to the rule. If you watch as much basketball as I do I’m sure you’ve seen referee crews have a tendency to call the clear path differently.

Conversely the hostile act  rule is meant to have further clarification. The implication is this is meant to also speed up the game and expedite the review system given the newly defined elucidation of both rules.

Coaches challenge not in mix:

I’ve ranted about the NBA needing to add a coaches challenge for several years and remain firmly in the camp screaming for it to be made official. The NBA has tested the coaches challenge in the G-League as well as Vegas Summer League, but it’s still hasn’t been put forward by the Competition Committee.

It’s insane every North American major league has coaches challenges except the NBA. Even tennis successfully allows challenges. Until the NBA adds this element to games there will always be fan bases feeling shafted over wins and losses.

Two perfect examples of games where coaches challenges would’ve changed games the OKC Thunder lost into wins are when Giannis Antetokounmpo stepped out of bounds or the illegal screen Karl Anthony-Towns got away with on Paul George leading to an open opportunity for Andrew Wiggins to hit the hail Mary trey.

Of course they may also be examples of the opposite situation where the Thunder lucked out via no calls. Regardless, the league needs to get with the program and fast track the addition of a coaches challenge. Obviously it won’t happen this year – – so expect me to keep ranting about it the NBA adopts it.

As with all votes of this nature there will need to be a majority of two-thirds acceptance for the rules to pass. If successful these revisions would be implemented this season.