SAN ANTONIO – APRIL 28: A NBA basketball on the court during play between the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on April 28, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NBA to shorten games? Why? Commissioner Adam Silver would like to shorten NBA quarters from 12 minutes to 10 minutes. That would reduce games from 48 minutes to 40. He says globally the NBA is the only league with a 48 minute game. To play a 48 minute game takes 2 hours and 16 minutes on average. He would like a more tidy two hour product for TV. He also admits he is not sure he has wide spread support for such a big change.
I must admit, I have never once thought NBA games were too long. What is this? Baseball? MLB has bent over backwards in recent years to shorten games and to be mindful of pace of play. But basketball is a much more up tempo game and does not carry as much down time as baseball.
NBA TO SHORTEN GAMES?
NBA to shorten games? This does not address the biggest problem in the NBA. Its game is getting boring because it has turned into a 48 minute three-point shooting and dunking contest. The skill of playing the midrange game is all but gone. That's the main problem.
But I am curious about load management where players sit out games to rest because the 82 game schedule is too grueling for today's player. Maybe reducing minutes would help solve that problem.
NBA to shorten games? What about individual and team records? For 78 years they have been based on a 48 minute game. How do we justify records for a 40 minute game? We currently consider an individual 30 point performance impressive. In a 40 minute game will a 24 point performance be the new 30 point game? Huh? It's too much change. Stop it. Let's focus on other problems.
For more hoops talk and analysis tune in each weekday from 2-6pm to Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida!
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