The NBA on Sept. 10 announced a series of rule adjustments affecting the Emirates NBA Cup, Coach’s Challenge reviews and player statistics for the upcoming seasons.
Home-court edge added to Cup semifinals
Beginning with the 2026-27 campaign, Emirates NBA Cup semifinals will be played on the higher-seeded team’s home floor. Since the tournament’s 2023 debut, both semifinals and the final had taken place on a neutral court in Las Vegas. The championship game will continue to be held in Las Vegas, while the new format awards a home-court advantage to teams that post better results earlier in the event.
Replay Center to rule on proximate fouls
A modification to Coach’s Challenges takes effect this season. For out-of-bounds reviews, the league’s Replay Center—not the on-court officiating crew—will now determine whether a related foul occurred. League officials expect the change to shorten review times by removing an additional on-court deliberation step.
End-of-quarter heaves removed from individual stats
The NBA also confirmed that unsuccessful shots launched as the game or shot clock expires will no longer be charged to a player’s individual field-goal percentage. Instead, the attempts will be logged as team misses. The adjustment, tested during Summer League, aims to encourage players to attempt late heaves without worrying about personal statistics.
All changes were disclosed through an NBA Communications statement released on social media.
Source: Lakers Nation
