After Wednesday’s 112-109 defeat to the Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell called on the NBA to reconsider how many coaches’ challenges a team can use in a game.
Under current rules, a team receives one challenge and earns a second if the first is successful; no further challenges are allowed. Mitchell said that restriction proved costly against Orlando and in another late-game situation against Detroit earlier this month.
“I got fouled on a three and I’m having a hard time with the rule of once you’ve had two challenges you can’t get any more, especially when you win both,” Mitchell told reporters, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. “Maybe I’m biased because it happened to us twice in game-ending situations.”
The four-time All-Star argued that if a team keeps winning its challenges, it should retain the ability to contest additional calls, particularly “on calls that are very obvious.”
Mitchell is averaging 28.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 48.0 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from beyond the arc and 85.6 percent at the free-throw line. His scoring output ranks seventh in the league. Cleveland sits at 40-26 with 16 regular-season games remaining, beginning with Friday’s visit to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Cavaliers have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since acquiring Mitchell in 2022, but expectations remain high with Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and James Harden leading the push toward the postseason.
Source: Hoops Wire
