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How long is a professional basketball game
How Long Is a NBA Game?
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Basketball is one of the hottest and most anticipated sports on the planet. However, newbies may not be sure about NBA game length. So, how long is a basketball game?
An average NBA game time usually lasts between 2 and 2.5 hours. However, that is not an exact number for all leagues or associations.
Scott Fujita will tell you the duration of specific basketball matches according to NBA, FIBA, NCAA, or NFHS rules.
An NBA game usually lasts between 2 and 2.5 hours.
Contents
How Long Is An NBA Game?
A typical NBA game usually lasts between 2 and 2.5 hours. However, that is not an exact number for all leagues or associations.
As we also mentioned above, basketball game time will vary from league to league. In the National Basketball Association (NBA), each period will be 12 minutes. Total playing time will be up to 48 minutes for the fourth-quarter game. The overtime period lasts for 5 minutes in a NBA game.
View more:
How long is a college basketball game
How long is halftime in NBA
How long is a basketball court
Half time between 2nd and 3rd periods is 15 minutes. However, this is only theoretical time. Many factors make the time of an NBA match stretch to even 2 hours. It is a bit longer than the FIFA games.
Basketball game time is often longer because of commercial breaks.
How Long Are Basketball Games IN FIBA?
According to The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, a game will have four quarters.How many minutes is a quarter in basketball in FIBA? Each quarter lasts 10 minutes, and the total basketball match will be 40 minutes. Compared to NBA quarter length, FIBA games have shorter quarters.
In addition, there are additional regulations on the rest time between quarters. So, how long is a quarter in basketball games?
Basketball teams will have about 20 minutes to prepare before the game begins.
The halftime between the first half and second half is 2 minutes.
The half time between the 2nd and 3rd quarters is 15 minutes. The two teams need time to switch pitches and proceed to the next quarters.
The half time between the 3rd and 4th quarters is 2 minutes.
The time between the extra quarters is 2 minutes.
Overtime periods take place when both teams play all four quarters but still haven’t found a winner. If the team scores more goals in the first extra time, that team wins. At this point, the game will end.
Conversely, if the first overtime does not decide the winner, both teams will continue to play in the subsequent overtime. The halftime of FIBA games will start when the game clock sounds to announce the end of the half.
Each FIBA basketball quarter lasts 10 minutes.
How Long Does a Basketball Game Last in NCAA Rule?
NCAA means the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
College basketball games’ time is two halves of 20 minutes each. The total game time is about 2 hours 10 minutes. The half time between halves of the college games is 15 minutes. The overtime of a college basketball game is 5 minutes.
How Long Is a High School Basketball Game?
The NFHS is the organization that regulates the playing time of high school basketball games. Accordingly, high school games have four quarters. Each basketball quarter lasted eight minutes. The halftime is 10 minutes.
What Is the Longest NBA Game?
The longest NBA game in history happened in the 1951 season. It was a fiery encounter between the Rochester Royals and the Indianapolis Olympians at Edgerton Park Arena.
There are so many overtime periods that the actual game time is up to 78 minutes. That year, the Indianapolis Olympians excellently won 75-73 against the Royals. The match lasted six quarters instead of the usual four. It is also one of the Guinness World Records.
Besides, we can mention the longest college basketball game in 1981. This match took place with the participation of two teams, the Bradley Braves, and the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The victory went to 75 minutes. It was just three minutes shorter than the 1951 match between the Olympians and the Royals mentioned above.
Not stopping there, this 1981 match broke another record. That’s the longest player on the field in a basketball game.
Bradley center Donald Reese and Cincinnati guard Bobby Austin played on the field for 73 minutes. No one has overcome this to this day.
You can refer to some long NBA games via this video.
How Do NBA Games Take Place?
Twenty minutes before the match, the coaches of both teams will register the list of players. That list includes jersey numbers, names of players, captains, leading coaches, assistants.
At that time, the coach appoints five players on the official list and confirms the score sheet. The home team will have the right to choose the basket and bench and then notify the main referee.
The referee blows the whistle, and the game starts. Two teams stand on the field to prepare. The ball is then “thrown” high by the referee in the circle in the center of the area. When any player touches the ball, then the timed game is “started.”
NBA games
When Does Clock Stop?
The time of each quarter ends when the referee blows the whistle to end the quarter. The referee will stop the clock after the 4th quarter if there is a score difference.
There was an infraction during play, but the clock signaled the end of the period. How will the referee handle it? The player will take the free throw immediately afterward, before halftime.
The clock will stop during the time of the two teams to temporarily break and make substitutions. It also happens when a player commits a foul, and the ball goes out of the playing area.
A free throw occurs, which could lead to one, two, or even three free throws.
Clock stoppages happen when one team calls one timeout. Each NBA club has 60 seconds in the first timeout and a shorter time in the second timeout. The second timeouts depend on whether the NBA match is “nationally televised” or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the common questions that beginners have about the length of basketball games.
1. How long do basketball games last for youth leagues?
A youth basketball game often lasts about one hour. Most youth leagues games include two halves. The average length is 20 minutes for each half of the youth games.
2. How long is a women’s game in college basketball?
Women’s games often last two hours. There are four quarters, and each lasts 10 minutes.
3. Why do playoff games usually last longer than regular-season games?
A playoff game takes longer than a regular-season game due to its longer commercial breaks.
Final Thoughts
Now you have general knowledge regarding the topic “how long are NBA games.” We will keep you updated with the latest sports news about basketball and other sports on Scott Fujita. Thank you for reading!
How Long is a Basketball Game - What Adds to the Watch Time?
NBA basketball games consist of four quarters that are 12 minutes of official game time. A typical NBA game takes about two and a half hours to complete. A regular-season game takes less time to complete than a playoff game due to extended commercial breaks.
So why do professional basketball games take close to two and a half hours to complete if there are only 48 minutes of game time? Does the WNBA and college basketball use the same four 12-minute periods for their matches? Here is the complete breakdown of how long a basketball game is!
How Many Quarters are in an NBA Game and How Long Does it Take to Complete?
NBA games are forty-eight minutes of game time broken into four 12-minute quarters. Each quarter is 12 minutes of the game clock that stops numerous times during the game. Overtime is an additional five minutes to decide a winner if the game is tied after four periods.
How Long is an Olympic Basketball Game?
For the Olympics, FIBA basketball games break down into four 10-minute quarters. Olympic overtime is the same as the NBA with five minutes. Games tend to take about two hours to complete because there are fewer team timeouts, and the three-point line is closer than in the NBA by one foot.
How Long is a WNBA Game?
The WNBA uses four ten-minute-quarters to complete a game. Halftime intermission between the second and third periods lasts for fifteen minutes. Most WNBA games conclude in about two hours. The longest WNBA game on record came in 2002 when it took just under three hours to complete since it went into three overtime periods.
How Long is a College Basketball Game?
For NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) college basketball games, you have two 20-minute halves. In between both halves, there is a fifteen-minute halftime intermission. Most college basketball games take about two hours to complete.
How Long is a High School Basketball Game?
High School basketball games are 32 minutes of the official clock broken down in four quarters. There is also a 10-minute halftime break that separates the second and third periods. Most High School games are about 1.5 hours to complete.
However, High School basketball games do allow a Mercy Rule. A Mercy Rule enables the clock to keep running to speed up the game’s conclusion if there is a difference of 30 points and both teams agree to play with that. You can read more about this rule from Hoopsking.com.
Why Does the Clock Stop During Basketball Games?
There are numerous reasons why the game clock stops running during a basketball game. Below are some of the most common reasons why clock stoppages during a basketball game.
A free throw occurs, which could lead to one, two, or even three free throws attempts depending on the foul
A referee calls a foul
The basketball ball goes into the stands or simply out of bounds.
A substitution is taking place, so the referee waits until every player is ready before resuming the action
An injury takes place on the court. Depending on the injury, you will see a commercial break that allows the player to receive the medical attention they need.
How Do Timeouts Work in Basketball?
In the NBA, each team gets seven timeouts during match play. During each quarter of play, there must be two timeouts that occur. If there are no timeouts before the 6:59 mark, the referees will create a timeout on a dead ball moment and charge it to the home team. If no timeouts occur before the 2:59 mark, referees will issue a timeout to the away team on the next pause in action.
Timeouts by either team are a minute and fifteen seconds, and they stop the clock. You can only call a timeout when your team has the ball. Teams usually will draw up plays during halftime and make substations on the court to rest players.
What Adds to the Time for Playoff Games?
Playoff basketball tends to take a bit longer than regular-season games to complete. The primary reason playoff games are more prolonged than regular-season games is to longer commercial breaks. Also, there might be a ceremony before a game, which can add a bit more time to the overall game.
What is the Longest NBA Game?
The longest NBA game took place in 1951 with the Indianapolis Olympians and the Rochester Royals. There were multiple overtime periods, which made the actual playtime clock seventy-eight minutes. The Indianapolis Olympians are no longer a franchise in the National Basketball Association, while the Rochester Royals are now the Sacramento Kings.
What are Ways the NBA Can Speed up the Game?
The NBA is always tinkering with how to speed up the game. For example, the NBA reduced how many timeouts a team can take during the fourth quarter of gameplay. The result saw games decline from 2 hours and 23 minutes to two hours and 15.
Below are some other ways the NBA / WNBA can speed up a game’s conclusion without compromising the sport.
Limiting the number of foul calls that take place during a game
Reducing the number of commercials during the game
If the reduction in commercials is not an option, basketball can incorporate a split-screen in action with a commercial and game showing side by side
Speeding up instant replay reviews by referees
Conclusion – How Long is a Basketball Game
In summary, a professional men’s basketball game takes close to 2. 5 hours to complete. Games consist of 4 12 minute periods with a 15-minute halftime intermission between periods two and three. Games take longer to complete due to substitutions, commercial breaks, free throws, and timeouts.
WNBA, Olympic games, NCAA matches, and High School basketball games all take less time to complete than an NBA game. Each of these leagues takes less time to complete their game clock, which results in less time to complete. High School basketball can take an hour to an hour and a half to finish if teams opt for a mercy rule to speed up the game’s conclusion.
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How long is a basketball game (and why)?
Last updated: August 26, 2022 / author Sandeep Bhandari / Fact verified / 3 minutes
Exact answer: 48 minutes
When it comes to outdoor games, there are many games in which people participate or support their teams. And basketball is one of them. This guide contains more information about the different types of b-games and the time spent on each game.
What is basketball and its variations
Basketball is a team sport in which two opposing teams of mostly five players play on a rectangular court. The goal of a field goal is worth two points, except when it occurs behind the three-point line.
The time required to play basketball varies. The difference is caused by the varying degrees of basketball games. For example, basketball times for high school, college, NCAA, NBA, and professional players differ. In addition, each of the above levels uses extra time whenever there is a tie after the end of the game.
How much time does various games in basketball take
4 Type of game
9000
NBA basketball game
48 minutes
Basketball match of the secondary school
90 minutes
Professional basketball games
48 minutes - 2 hours 15 minutes
1) basketball matches in college 9000
also play baseball. Unlike the four quarters used in other regular matches, high school games consist of two 20-minute parts.
The half time is 15 minutes, as in the National Basketball Association, and overtime is 5 minutes. Broadcasts of school games last approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes.
2) NCAA Basketball Game
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is the high school b-ball gathering. This game is considered to be excessively long.
Numerous breaks consume almost 30 minutes of play. In the event that the ball hits either end of the basket or the team in possession of the ball changes, shot checks come into effect and the ball is pocketed. This time is different.
According to the NCAA, the time to shoot is 35 seconds for men and 30 seconds for women.
3) NBA basketball game
An NBA game is 48 minutes long. The game is usually divided into four quarters of 12 minutes each. Whenever any of the playing teams have a tie, the time will surely increase.
In the case of b-ball, the bind gives extra time, and the game is played separately until a winner is determined. Extra time lasts 5 minutes.
4) School basketball
B-ball is one of the most popular games in high schools. School games are estimated to last 90 minutes. This is an absolute time including breath holds, clock stops and fouls that may occur.
Like the NBA, high schools use four quarters, although the quarters are shorter. Each quarter lasts 8 minutes, and there is a ten-minute break between the second and third quarters.
For example, extra time in high school is four minutes if the teams are tied.
5) Professional basketball game
This game depends on the affiliation that controls it. An NBA game is 48 minutes long, although FIBA games are 40 minutes long.
The total time required to play any particular professional game is more than 2 hours and 15 minutes. Time includes breaks in time such as breaks, fouls and breaks.
NBA games, however, have different breaks, not like the Olympics and FIBA games. There are four mandatory breaks in NBA games.
In addition, ball finals take longer than regular games; about 3 hours.
Why do these basketball games take so long
In basketball, a game can never end in a draw because there must be a champion. So depending on the type of game, from high school to professional level, there is extra time to determine the winner.
Exactly how long to go home
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How many periods in basketball | How many periods does basketball consist of, match duration rules
Basketball is one of the favorite and popular sports all over the world. At the same time, the answer to the question of how many quarters there are in basketball, and what is their duration, causes difficulties for many. Such concepts as a quarter, overtime, break, timeout are familiar to all professional athletes, but such terms often raise questions for ordinary people.
Duration of basketball game
The countdown is carried out only during direct play, that is, when the players hold or dribble the ball. The responsibility for the correct count lies with the arbiter, who watches the timer with a stopwatch. When there are pauses, the ball is outside the playing area, the time stops and starts again after the resumption of the game with the ball.
It depends on the organizer of the competition, so it is different for North America and Europe. The US and FIBA interpret differently, and in order to avoid errors in answering the question of how long the match lasts, it is worth clarifying which association is in question.
The NBA is characterized by a slightly longer duration, which exceeds FIBA by 2 minutes. This is due to the more advertising nature of the players in American tournaments.
Period in basketball: how many minutes does it last?
Previously, it consisted of 2 halves of 20 minutes. In 2000 the rules were changed. Today everything is divided into quarters, the length of which may vary slightly depending on the species.
Varieties:
10-minute;
12-minute.
A longer period is typical for the players of the National Basketball Organization, the so-called NBA. In all other tournaments, it is always the same: 10 minutes. The total time is 48 for the US and 40 for the rest of the leagues.
When organizing in universities and school institutions, these rules are often neglected. In this regard, as a rule, it consists of two periods, 20 minutes each, which is unusual for many team players.
Organization of a basketball match. The referee starts everything by performing a jump ball on the central circle of the court. The referee throws the ball vertically upwards between the representatives of each team. The ball cannot be picked up, therefore, to start the countdown, the player must only touch it, after which the game begins on the court.
The first rules did not limit the basketball player in the time of possible possession of the ball.
Today, a certain time is given for the attack:
24 seconds non-NBA;
32 for basketball in the National Association.
When does the countdown start? The countdown starts from the moment the ball hits the player's hands. The team of referees always includes a 24 second operator who monitors compliance with the ball possession rule. After the throw has passed, you need to pass the ball to another member of the team, otherwise the referee blows the whistle and the match is interrupted. There are temporary restrictions on possession of the ball:
for the first 8 sec. it is necessary to carry the ball from your own half to the opponent's field;
on a throw-in or a free throw, the time may not exceed 5 minutes;
passing under the ring cannot exceed 3 seconds.
The coach of each team may take a time-out. Their number and organization depends on the team coach. Each party can exercise this right no more than 5 times. It can be done once after regular time. There is the following limitation:
twice - in 1 half;
three times - rest of the second part.
How long does the game last? Goals are being counted and the team with the most goals is awarded the victory. In case of an equal number of goals scored, extra time is assigned, which is additional time: 5 minutes.
It goes until the winner is determined. The practice of holding tournaments shows that dopas are usually assigned no more than 3 times.
Exceptions may be the so-called paired meetings. In this case, the first match can end in a draw, and in the future the winner will be determined by the results of goals scored in the second.
How long is a basketball game?
Basketball cannot end in a draw, so the number of special stages assigned is not limited.
How many minutes is a quarter in basketball in FIBA? Each quarter lasts 10 minutes, and the total basketball match will be 40 minutes. Compared to NBA quarter length, FIBA games have shorter quarters. 
At this point, the game will end.
It was a fiery encounter between the Rochester Royals and the Indianapolis Olympians at Edgerton Park Arena.
The referee will stop the clock after the 4th quarter if there is a score difference.
Most youth leagues games include two halves. The average length is 20 minutes for each half of the youth games.
A Mercy Rule enables the clock to keep running to speed up the game’s conclusion if there is a difference of 30 points and both teams agree to play with that. You can read more about this rule from Hoopsking.com.
During each quarter of play, there must be two timeouts that occur. If there are no timeouts before the 6:59 mark, the referees will create a timeout on a dead ball moment and charge it to the home team. If no timeouts occur before the 2:59 mark, referees will issue a timeout to the away team on the next pause in action.
There were multiple overtime periods, which made the actual playtime clock seventy-eight minutes. The Indianapolis Olympians are no longer a franchise in the National Basketball Association, while the Rochester Royals are now the Sacramento Kings. 
5 hours to complete. Games consist of 4 12 minute periods with a 15-minute halftime intermission between periods two and three. Games take longer to complete due to substitutions, commercial breaks, free throws, and timeouts.
And basketball is one of them. This guide contains more information about the different types of b-games and the time spent on each game. 
Unlike the four quarters used in other regular matches, high school games consist of two 20-minute parts. 
At the same time, the answer to the question of how many quarters there are in basketball, and what is their duration, causes difficulties for many. Such concepts as a quarter, overtime, break, timeout are familiar to all professional athletes, but such terms often raise questions for ordinary people. 
This is due to the more advertising nature of the players in American tournaments. 
The referee throws the ball vertically upwards between the representatives of each team. The ball cannot be picked up, therefore, to start the countdown, the player must only touch it, after which the game begins on the court. 
