Basketball is a sport that has an extremely large number of players and spectators. Therefore, not only the game’s technical requirements but also the playing time is a concern for many beginners. Please refer to the useful information in the article below.
How Long Are Basketball Games?
According to the Rules of The International Basketball Federation (abbreviated: FIBA), a match has 40 mins, consisting of 4 rounds of 10-minute quarters. However, each tournament will have different regulations on the length of each game.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
NBA matches take place in 48 minutes, including four periods, each of 12 minutes. But the actual length will be longer than the specified level due to the addition of 15 minutes of halftime and other incidents on the field.
The timeouts (75 seconds) will also make the game last longer, as each team has a maximum of seven timeouts, of which four are required. Teams must run out of timeouts for each period and can accumulate them up to three times for the final period.
Thus, spectators will find NBA games are, on average, 2.5 hours long; sometimes, they can be up to 3 hours due to undecided victory or defeat.
WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association)
Slightly different from the tournament for men, the girls will have 40 minutes of official competition, with two periods lasting 20 minutes. The actual length may also be up to 2–2.5 hours due to the effect of the clock dwell time.
NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
It lasted 40 minutes, but there was a difference between the number of rounds for men and women. The men’s match consists of two halves, while the women’s match is four rounds).
High School (NFSHSA)
A high school and youth game lasts 32 minutes, consisting of four quarters, each eight minutes long. Its actual duration is about 90 minutes.
Middle School
Middle school students will play 30 minutes per game, with no overtime. If the score is tied, whoever gets the points first wins.
What Affects The Length Of Games?
The time clock runs only when the game is in progress and stops when something goes wrong. So when watching, you will see that the match is much longer than the number the associations have set. Many factors can influence this process:
- Free throw, foul, or injury: When a player commits a foul, the ball goes out, takes a free throw, or is injured, the clock will pause to handle the situation. It will only work again when the players are ready for the next jump.
- Halftime: The halftime break is essential for the players to recover their fitness and discuss strategies with the coaching staff. People don’t count it in an official match like football, so the clock won’t run at that period.
- Overtime: This also affects the length of the match. Some leagues don’t limit the maximum amount of extra time between two teams.
Besides, factors such as the stats displayed on the shot clock or timeouts can also cause the match to last longer than expected.
Read more: What Is A Double Double In Basketball
How To Work Overtime In Basketball?
This stage is a rule to decide the winner if the scores of the two teams are tied after official time. Depending on the management of each association, the overtime hours vary between leagues, specifically:
- For the NBA, two teams will enter 5 mins stoppage time. Overtime play begins 130 seconds after the official time. Each unit has two 20-second breaks during each extra time and can make substitutions without limit.
- WNBA: Also 5 mins, but over time will start after the game only 120 seconds (10 seconds less than the NBA). The players also have two twenty-second breaks but can only change players once.
- NCAA: It’s similar to the NBA, but there’s only a 75-second break per overtime.
At the end of the first extra period, the match is over if there is a point difference between the two teams. The final winner will be the team with the most points. Otherwise, they will continue to play the second one with the same rules.
Read more: What Does Bonus Mean In Basketball
Conclusion
Above is some information we have put together to answer the question: how long are basketball games? No specific general rule depends on the tournament’s audience, age, or agreement. With these shares, players will better understand this fascinating sport.
