Donovan Mitchell Calls for NBA Rule Change for Video Challenges After Cavs' Loss to Magic

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell questioned the NBA's challenge system after feeling he got fouled on a three-point attempt during the fourth quarter of Wednesday's 128-122 loss to the Orlando Magic.

According to Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Mitchell watched back the final five minutes of the game on his phone and came to a conclusion regarding the rule that teams can only have a maximum of two challenges per game.

"I do feel like there were some tough calls that didn't go our way," Mitchell said. "I got fouled on a 3 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 went on to suggest that teams should perhaps be allowed to continue challenging calls until they get one wrong.

"Maybe I'm biased because it happened to us twice in game-ending situations the past two and a half or three weeks, but they are game-changing plays," Mitchell said. "It happened in Detroit. It happened here. Both of them on TV. I don't know what the rule should be. If you're winning challenges, especially on calls that are very obvious, I think it's something that should be talked about."

Cavaliers-Magic Full Highlights

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Under the current system, each team starts with one challenge. If that challenge is successful, they earn a second challenge, but they can't get another regardless of whether or not the second challenge is successful.

Cleveland trailed by seven entering the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game, and it trailed by as much as 13 at one point.

While the Cavs cut the deficit to as little as two with 38.5 seconds remaining, that was as close as they would get. If Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson had another challenge to play with, though, perhaps things could have been different.

After finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, the Cavs have had their ups and downs in 2025-26, as their 40-26 record has them fourth in the East, seven games behind the first-place Detroit Pistons and 3.5 games behind the second-place Boston Celtics.

Mitchell has continued to be a driving force behind their success, and the addition of James Harden in a pre-deadline trade with the Los Angeles Clippers raised Cleveland's ceiling.

Wednesday marked the Cavs' fourth loss in the past seven games, and while Mitchell's frustration was palpable after falling to Orlando, there is little doubt that Cleveland has enough talent to be an NBA Finals contender.