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‘Makes Absolutely No Sense’: LeBron James Criticizes NBA Challenge Rule, Calls for Its Change
LeBron James criticizes NBA challenge rule, believes it needs change. He argues for a more efficient system. Find out his full statement and proposed solutions. Read more
On Wednesday, LeBron James, the superstar of the Los Angeles Lakers, made public his belief that the NBA should alter its challenge rule.
This comment came while he was watching the first of the Western Conference Finals, a game played between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Dallas Mavericks in Minnesota.
His comment came after the Mavericks triumphed in their second challenge, which occurred with only 2:10 left in the third quarter. Of note, the Mavericks had successfully achieved their first challenge just two minutes prior in-game time.
As it stands, teams can only make one challenge per game. If they are successful in their first challenge, they are allowed to make a second. However, there are no provisions for a third challenge, even if the second one proves successful.
James believes that having successfully navigated the first two challenges, teams should be permitted to use at least one more.
He makes a valid point. Challenges are essentially an opportunity to correct referee errors. Hence, if teams can identify these errors successfully, they shouldn’t face penalties for spotting a third mistake later on.
A potential solution could be the NBA adopting a rule similar to the NFL's. Here, teams are automatically given two challenges, accompanied by an offer of a third if one of the initial two is successful.
However, on Wednesday’s game, the Mavericks' success did not hinge on a hypothetical third challenge. They managed to secure a narrow 108-105 victory over Minnesota regardless.
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LeBron James Headlines 2023-24 All-NBA Teams
The Lakers superstar LeBron James further established his All-NBA record by securing a spot in the third team again. This marks his 20th All-NBA team recognition in his 21 season-long career.
The team also spotlights prominent players like Nikola Jokić, Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo on the first team, with Anthony Edwards on the second.
Jokić, in his consecutive second season, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, were the sole unanimous favorites. Dončić missed out on the unanimous selection narrowly by a single second-place vote.
Every first-team player amassed a minimum of 400 points from votes. Jalen Brunson, part of the second team, scored the highest votes, with a total of 368, from 37 first place and 61 second place votes.
James continued his consecutive All-NBA selections streak, delivering one of the best performances by a 39-year-old in NBA history, with averages of 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds from 71 starts for the Lakers.
The veteran player set a new record as the eldest NBA player to shoot an impressive 40 percent from the three-point range (41.0).
Following his third MVP win this month, Nikola Jokić revisited the All-NBA first team after descending to the second team the previous year due to position-based voting.
Regardless of the now-discarded position regulations, Jokić's place in the first team was surefire. He matched his career's best average of 26.4 points per game, achieving an average of 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists from 79 starts for the Denver Nuggets.
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