THE National Basketball Association (NBA) Board of Governors has approved updates to the instant replay rules as they pertain to out-of-bounds challenges.
“In an effort to improve game flow, particularly at the end of games, the NBA has eliminated referee-initiated replay review of out-of-bounds violations during the last two minutes of the fourth period and the last two minutes of any overtime period,” the league said in a statement on Wednesday.
Now, it will be solely up to teams whether to trigger a replay review of out-of-bounds violations via the coach’s challenge, which can now be used at any time of the game.
The changes were only approved for the 2021-2022 season on a “one-year trial basis,” per the league’s memo.
Basketball fans clamored for better rules to be put in place after instances during the 2021 playoffs featured excessive replays and overturned calls that slowed down important games. The NBA’s Competition Committee recommended the changes to the Board of Governors. — Reuters