One-quarter through the season, thoughts on the Coach's challenge:

[Real Men Wear Green]

They should either go full NFL with it (give two reviews and a third if the first two or right) or get rid of it.So far no one seems happy with it and we only remember the times it completely fails due to limitations (James Harden dunk from last week...actually I'm still not sure what happened with that one D'Antoni says they wouldn't permit the challenge). Coaches only having the one challenge has lead to several games where a coach has used the challenge early, probably lost it, and then late in the game their team is hurt by a bad call in a crucial moment. Too often it leads to a boring delay in the second quarter because the coach was irritated by a questionable call but in the end it just doesn't matter, no effect on the outcome of the game. Coaches arem't stupid and I expect to see them generally hold onto the challenge until the 4th quarter by season's end but I still don't like the rule. Feels like it's only a minor annoyance with no effect on the outcome. It should either have a real effect or just be dome away with.

[elementally morale]

My main problem with this rule is this: It is only effective if the refs enforce the existing rules in the first place. Either that or change the rulebook.

There is a travelling violation on literally every possession. Most of the time several violations. Palming? Goes on all the time. The defensive 3 second violation is a stupid rule as is 'interference'. I say once it hits the rim, go for it like in FIBA. At any rate, there are existing rules that are not enforce like travelling and palming. 3 steps with the ball all the time, first dribble on the 3rd step all the time and palming the ball on every second dribble.

So going by the actual rules, I could challenge every play. I would be right but no one would take me seriously. I can understand the game changing and it's okay. But if it does just change the rules. From now on, 3 steps are okay in the NBA. However, with the current way of officiating you just never know when a ref will call a travelling violation. And why then?

So review and challenge all you want but make the existing rules count in the first place.