Why Erik Spoelstra is calling more challenges this season

Erik Spoelstra Michael Malone — Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has not been afraid to call challenges this year. (Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has already had to navigate multiple challenges through 14 games. One of those, ironically enough, was when to call actual challenges.

Most of the Heat’s adjustments this season have come on the offensive end of the floor with a new fast-paced, free-flowing offense. But Spoelstra, 55, had to adjust to the NBA’s challenge rule after being extra stingy with calling them in 2024-25.

He hasn’t been afraid to wiggle his finger this season, and he explained why ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors.

“(It’s) really more about how the games have gone,” Spoelstra said. “It wasn’t like a strategy or a staff retreat and said, ‘I have to more challenges.’

“A few of them I’ve done because I’m just trying to wake the officials up. I felt like there was some incorrect calls that maybe from wasting a challenge, it might them ready to focus, probably to no avail.”

Erik Spoelstra on the increase in challenges this season, saying it’s because of how the games have gone.

Would say a few of them is because to “wake up” the officials. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/Z7yCncI2nK
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 19, 2025

Heat have nearly surpassed last year’s mark on number of challenges called:

There were several head-scratching challenges — or no challenges — called from Spoelstra last season.

For starters, he challenged a league-low 18 times, succeeding just 10 times, according to the Sporting News’ Stephen Noh. That 55.6 success rate was the sixth-worst in the NBA, while his 18 challenges were the league’s fewest … by far (second-fewest were Bulls, Warriors — 36!!).

“I know our numbers are lower than other teams,” Spoelstra told Noh. “Every call is like (twirling finger to mimic a challenge). I understand the competition committee adding this, but I think it also just looks ridiculous every single play. The players are looking at the bench (making the challenge motion). It’s distracting.”

For perspective, the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder used 82 — yes, eighty two — challenges last year. That’s one per game, literally.

So far through 2025-26, the 18th-year head coach has used 14 challenges, with 11 being successful. That’s a stark contrast; he’s on the same pace that the champs were on!

That said, not all challenges are created equally. But they can absolutely be momentum swingers in a game — especially if you’re successful.

It remains to be seen if that pace will sustain itself, but perhaps waking up the officials is working!