Toronto Raptors: Looking back at a special opening night

First-ever NBA Coach’s Challenges

Both Nick Nurse and Alvin Gentry tried their hands at a Coaches’ Challenge during this game and I was a reminder that I don’t think that the new rules would have a meaningful impact on the game.

Nick Nurse became the coach who will go down in NBA history as the first-ever to use the new rule and Alvin Gentry followed suit later in the game. Neither challenge resulted in a win for the challenger.

At the time I thought it was really smart that Nick Nurse got his feet wet with the new rule early on. Best to make sure you have a good grasp on the minutia in a circumstance that ultimately is going to matter very little through the course of the season.

Nurse himself confirmed my reasoning postgame saying:

"I haven’t spent a whole lot of time thinking about it. I’m not real comfortable with when I can and can’t use it, and what I can and can’t use it for. I know it’s pretty simple; there’s only a few things you can use it for."

A foul was called on Norman Powell against Josh Hart. Nurse challenged, the call was not overturned and one of the Raptors’ timeouts was lost. It was more of the same for Alvin Gentry when he initiated a challenge when Kendrich Williams was called for a loose-ball foul against Serge Ibaka. Again the call was not overturned.