Rockets Head Coach Mike D'Antoni 1st to Use NBA Challenge in Preseason Game

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni made history during Thursday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers when he challenged a referee's call. 

Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, D'Antoni became the first coach to take advantage of the NBA's new challenge system when he objected to an offensive foul called on James Harden late in the second quarter. 

The official blew the whistle upon seeing Harden hook the arm of the player defending him with his right arm as he was dribbling with his left hand. Replay confirmed the foul, but D'Antoni explained he just wanted to take a chance on what he thought was a close call. 

"It's easy to screw up," he said. "It's going to be a little adjusting. It takes a while to get used to. We don't have the regular flow of information that we'll have in a regular game. They'll tell me before that I should go out there and challenge."

MacMahon noted that Clippers head coach Doc Rivers jokingly yelled across the bench to D'Antoni after the replay call: "In a preseason game?"

The NBA board of governors approved a rule change in July that gives coaches one challenge for certain calls, including a personal foul charged to his team, a called out-of-bounds violation or a called goaltending or basket interference violation.

Even though D'Antoni's challenge was unsuccessful, he got the last laugh in the game when the Rockets knocked off the Clippers 109-96.