NBA: Nets-Celtics To Try 44 Minute Game

[Shastafarian]

The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics will play a 44-minute preseason game Sunday -- four minutes shorter than the standard NBA game.

The league announced the decision Tuesday, with NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn saying it will test out the idea of playing a shorter game, a notion that was broached during offseason discussions.

"At our recent coaches' meeting, we had a discussion about the length of our games, and it was suggested that we consider experimenting with a shorter format," Thorn said in a statement. "After consulting with our Compe ion Committee, we agreed to allow the Nets and Celtics to play a 44-minute preseason game in order to give us some preliminary data that will help us to further analyze game-time lengths."

To get the game down to 44 minutes, each quarter will be shortened from 12 minutes down to 11, and the number of mandatory timeouts will be pared down from three to two.

"When this idea came up at the coaches' meeting, I thought it was a unique experiment that was worth participating in," Nets coach Lionel Hollins said in the statement. "I'm looking forward to gauging its impact on the flow of the game. Since there is a shorter clock, it affects playing time, so it'll be interesting to see how it plays into subs ution patterns."

Around the league players were questioned on their thoughts about the shortened game possibilities. When reached for comment Kobe Bryant exclaimed, "This is amazing news because maybe now I'll only be at -35 for a game instead of -39."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11...preseason-game

[ohmwrecker]

Shorten the season. Games are fine.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Obviously a conspiracy against the Spurs.

[phyzik]

Obviously a conspiracy against the Spurs.

Actually, I bet Pop and the Spurs would be quite happy with a shortened game being able to manage even less minutes for our guys.

[lefty]

Shorten the season. Games are fine.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

Shorten the season. Games are fine.

Totally this ^

2 games against everyone - home and away. No back to backs with traveling, though 2 home games back to back are fine.

[Dex]

This is probably all Kobe's idea. He's tired from all the practice

[spurraider21]

This is probably all Kobe's idea. He's tired from all the practice

nah he probably wants longer games so he can jack up more shots

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Actually, I bet Pop and the Spurs would be quite happy with a shortened game being able to manage even less minutes for our guys.

I agree wholeheartedly. Just playing the part of GNSFs everywhere. However I have to think this idea gained some steam after the most heavily minute-managed team in NBA history won a le. Obviously the amount of big names suffering season ending and likely career shortening injuries is the big concern here.

[Holden_Caulfield]

Shorten the season. Games are fine.

the nba wont make as much money

[KaiRMD1]

Around the league players were questioned on their thoughts about the shortened game possibilities. When reached for comment Kobe Bryant exclaimed, "This is amazing news because maybe now I'll only be at -35 for a game instead of -39."

[elmanutres]

Around the league players were questioned on their thoughts about the shortened game possibilities. When reached for comment Kobe Bryant exclaimed, "This is amazing news because maybe now I'll only be at -35 for a game instead of -39."

[diego]

the logical thing is to either shorten the season (like BG_S_F says, another benefit of that is that weak conferences / divisions no longer get the benefit of playing more amongst themselves), OR, shorten the games; but if you were to shorten the games, the logical thing would be to do 40 minutes / 5 fouls like FIBA.

FIBA is adopting basically every NBA rule except for the 48min/ 6 fouls. Id rather see the season shorter than the games, but it would also be nice if NBA / FIBA rules were the same.

[da_suns_fan]

The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics will play a 44-minute preseason game Sunday -- four minutes shorter than the standard NBA game.

The league announced the decision Tuesday, with NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn saying it will test out the idea of playing a shorter game, a notion that was broached during offseason discussions.

"At our recent coaches' meeting, we had a discussion about the length of our games, and it was suggested that we consider experimenting with a shorter format," Thorn said in a statement. "After consulting with our Compe ion Committee, we agreed to allow the Nets and Celtics to play a 44-minute preseason game in order to give us some preliminary data that will help us to further analyze game-time lengths."

To get the game down to 44 minutes, each quarter will be shortened from 12 minutes down to 11, and the number of mandatory timeouts will be pared down from three to two.

"When this idea came up at the coaches' meeting, I thought it was a unique experiment that was worth participating in," Nets coach Lionel Hollins said in the statement. "I'm looking forward to gauging its impact on the flow of the game. Since there is a shorter clock, it affects playing time, so it'll be interesting to see how it plays into subs ution patterns."

Around the league players were questioned on their thoughts about the shortened game possibilities. When reached for comment Kobe Bryant exclaimed, "This is amazing news because maybe now I'll only be at -35 for a game instead of -39."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11...preseason-game

Genius.

[Malik Hairston]

The Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics will play a 44-minute preseason game Sunday -- four minutes shorter than the standard NBA game.

The league announced the decision Tuesday, with NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn saying it will test out the idea of playing a shorter game, a notion that was broached during offseason discussions.

"At our recent coaches' meeting, we had a discussion about the length of our games, and it was suggested that we consider experimenting with a shorter format," Thorn said in a statement. "After consulting with our Compe ion Committee, we agreed to allow the Nets and Celtics to play a 44-minute preseason game in order to give us some preliminary data that will help us to further analyze game-time lengths."

To get the game down to 44 minutes, each quarter will be shortened from 12 minutes down to 11, and the number of mandatory timeouts will be pared down from three to two.

"When this idea came up at the coaches' meeting, I thought it was a unique experiment that was worth participating in," Nets coach Lionel Hollins said in the statement. "I'm looking forward to gauging its impact on the flow of the game. Since there is a shorter clock, it affects playing time, so it'll be interesting to see how it plays into subs ution patterns."

Around the league players were questioned on their thoughts about the shortened game possibilities. When reached for comment Kobe Bryant exclaimed, "This is amazing news because maybe now I'll only be at -35 for a game instead of -39."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11...preseason-game

..

[unforeseen]

LeBron James could miss his next 1,593 shots and still have a higher career FG% than Kobe Bryant.


http://thesportsquotient.com/stat/nba/6682

[RD2191]

[Splits]

[Johnsyounger]

Saw another article were they may experiment with less free throws. If you get fouled you get one shot that counts as a 2 pts for 2 pt attempt and 3 for a 3 point attempt. Hate this.
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...ow-line-enough

[KaiRMD1]

Saw another article were they may experiment with less free throws. If you get fouled you get one shot that counts as a 2 pts for 2 pt attempt and 3 for a 3 point attempt. Hate this.
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...ow-line-enough

OKC will average less free throws but make it easier to win by hook or crook

[Franklin]

If the 44-min game rule had been applied a year and a half ago they Spurs would've already got 6 rings tbh.

[99 Problems]

Basketball must remain seen as a serious sport. Must remain at 48 minutes for the future. I've seen enough of the 40 minute game, it's horrible.

[ducks]

think they should elimante the back to back games better basketball leave it alone

[DMC]

I agree wholeheartedly. Just playing the part of GNSFs everywhere. However I have to think this idea gained some steam after the most heavily minute-managed team in NBA history won a le. Obviously the amount of big names suffering season ending and likely career shortening injuries is the big concern here.

Not because they won the le, but because they broke the NBA's anus when they broke the Miami money machine. As much as the NBA commissioner and other team's owners and coaches talk about the Spurs' culture, they want no part of it. They are in it for instant gratification, win now or get the out. You can bet that, with a shorter game, the game air time won't change. There will only be more commercials. As it was, they would have had to extend air time to get more revenue, now they just cut from the other end of the rope. They give less, make more, players are happy, coaches are happy, fans get ed.

To be honest though, it doesn't matter. It might help stop some trash time D-league , and keep ty rotational players off the floor most of the game so stars can be on the TV screen for more of the actual game (but not for a longer time).

[baseline bum]

I think it's funny seeing Spurs fans want shorter games and less games per season, considering each of those would nullify the Spurs greatest compe ive advantage: being able to build deep teams without an MVP candidate. What you guys are talking about would benefit the Thunder more than anyone.