NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he is a strong proponent of shortening the games from 48 to 40 minutes.
Silver made the surprising announcement while visiting “The Dan Patrick Show” on Wednesday, Jan. 29, according to Chaz TV.
If Silver got his way, the NBA would then be in alignment with the rest of the global basketball community, which has four 10-minute quarters. The WNBA and women’s college basketball also play under the 10-minute quarters format.
Even men’s college basketball is 40 minutes, although they play two 20-minute halves separated by an intermission.
“Something else that I’m a fan of — and I’m probably in the minority — as we get more involved in global basketball… the NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes. I am a fan of four 10-minute quarters,” he said.
The commissioner said there are multiple benefits to shortening the games, although he knows that he’s in the minority right now to make such a move.
“I’m not sure that many others are. Putting aside what it means for records and things like that, I think that a two-hour format for a game is more consistent with modern television habits. People in arenas aren’t asking us to shorten games, but I think as a television program, Olympic basketball is two hours, college basketball is of course 40 minutes.”
This could be a way to pacify the players who have been decrying the long, 82-game schedule for years. The league’s owners, called team governors, have been very averse to shortening the season which would cut into their profits.
And technically, by shortening the game minutes from 48 to 40, you would shorten the seasons without shortening the games. Silver pointed out that the proposed reduction in game time would reduce the NBA season by 656 minutes, the equivalent of 13.6 NBA games.
Shorter game minutes also reduce the likelihood of injuries that come from playing from November to at least April, with playoff teams playing well into June if they make the NBA Finals.
