NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is exploring the idea of reducing the length of professional basketball games from 48 to 40 minutes by shortening each quarter from 12 to 10 minutes. This potential change would align the NBA with college and Olympic basketball, both of which feature 40-minute games. Silver's proposal arrives as NBA games continue to average two hours and 16 minutes in duration this season, nearly identical to the average game length over the past 15 seasons.
Silver has expressed his interest in making the NBA more compatible with modern television habits, saying:
"I think of a television program being two hours, Olympic basketball being two hours. And college basketball, of course, is 40 minutes," – Adam Silver
Despite these considerations, the idea has sparked debate within the league. Critics argue that such a shift could fundamentally alter the sport. Some records may become untouchable, and the dynamics around player performance and game strategy could shift dramatically. Shortening game length might allow NBA stars to play entire games more frequently, affecting the playing time and salaries of role and end-of-bench players.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau and Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone have voiced their opposition to the potential changes. Thibodeau specifically noted that a shorter game length would hinder players' ability to break league-wide records. Moreover, players like Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks, who currently leads the NBA in playing time with an average of 38.4 minutes per game, might find their roles significantly altered.
Silver acknowledges these concerns but highlights the league's commitment to keeping fans engaged:
"I give the league credit, because they're always trying to find ways to keep the fans engaged," – Adam Silver
Nonetheless, he remains cautious about dramatic changes that might compromise the integrity of the game:
"But I hope we don't go to 10-minute quarters. I hope we don't put in a 4-point line. I hope we don't become Barnum and Bailey, or do whatever we have to do to keep viewership. Because there's a greatness and a history to this game, and a purity to this game that I hope we can find a way to stay true to." – Adam Silver
Additionally, discussions have included other potential rule changes, such as awarding two free throws for shooters fouled on three-point attempts.
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