The NBA league is the strongest and most popular basketball competition in the world. The money circulating in this league is huge, and the players have incredibly high contracts. Across the USA, fans are enjoying the fantastic moves of their favorite players and teams. 

Watching one NBA game during those two hours is a real and unforgettable experience. In the breaks between the two halves, interesting prize games are always organized, such as those in which the fans shoot from half the field, so if they hit, they get a decent amount of money or a car. 

This league has rules that differ from the rules in competitions in Europe, and one of them is the duration of the game, so games in the NBA last 48 minutes instead of 40 minutes as in Europe.

How long is one NBA game?

As mentioned, games in the NBA last longer than in Europe. One NBA match lasts 48 minutes. Of course, an NBA game doesn't last that short. After every foul, after every quarter, halftime, the timeout is paused, so the NBA game lasts a little more than two hours on average. 

The NBA game cannot end without a winner, so if there is no winner after 48 minutes, overtime lasts for 5 minutes. NBA games can really last, but those two hours pass very quickly because there are great players in this league who have great physical predispositions, so fans can see a lot of attractive moves for 48 minutes or more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0AJY4vhTt4

How long is NBA quarter? 

Each basketball game consists of four periods called quarters. In European basketball, every quarter lasts 10 minutes. In the NBA, one quarter lasts 12 minutes. Therefore, NBA games last eight minutes longer than in Europe. 

The basketball game cannot end in a draw, so after the end of the regular 48 minutes, an overtime game lasting 5 minutes is played. There is no difference between the NBA and European basketball on that issue. 

The number of overtimes is unlimited and an additional five minutes will be played until the winner of that match is determined. The first, long, and third quarters are followed by a break that lasts a little longer than two minutes or 130 seconds. The break between the two halves still lasts longer. After the end of the first half, the players go on a break that lasts 15 minutes. That time is a great opportunity for the players to rest and adequately prepare for the continuation of the game. 

How long is NBA halftime?

Since one quarter lasts 12 minutes, one half in the NBA game lasts 24 minutes. After the first half, the players go on a break that lasts 15 minutes. After that break, the second half is played, which also lasts 24 minutes. If the winner is not won after two halves, overtime lasts for five minutes. 

Half-time in American basketball did not always last 24 minutes. Basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith 1891 in Springfield and on that occasion he devised 13 rules that will be followed during the game. One of the rules was that the game has two halves and that each half lasts 15 minutes with a break between halves which also lasts 15 minutes.

The NBA League was formed in 1946 and since then one half has lasted 24 minutes, ie it consists of two quarters lasting 12 minutes each. The NBA wanted to have its own identity, so it formed a league whose games would last 48 minutes or 4 quarters of 12 minutes each. It is estimated that this time is ideal for the fans and that they will be kept under attention for two hours, as long as one game lasts with all the breaks.

Average length of NBA game

Unlike football games that last 90 minutes with a 15-minute break between two halves, basketball games last much longer. The average length of an NBA game is about two hours. One basketball game, as we have already said, consists of four periods lasting 12 minutes each. 

If it is not won after that, an overtime game is played. Since sometimes in one NBA game, you can play several extensions of the game, it can take longer than two and a half hours. The average length is two hours because in addition to active play during NBA games, there are many shorter or longer breaks.

Each team can request seven timeouts during the game. In overtime, the team gets two more timeouts.

In addition to timeouts that can be requested by players and coaches, there are also television timeouts during which obligations to sponsors are respected. After each quarter, the players take a break and between the two halves, the break lasts 15 minutes. 

Due to all the mentioned things, the average length of an NBA game is two hours, and if there are a lot of fouls in the game, a few overtimes, then the game can last much longer. 

How long an NBA finals game last?

The NBA is a league in which a large number of matches are played during the season. Each team played 82 matches during the regular season. Due to a large number of matches, there is a high risk of injuries, so the teams play at a slower pace during the regular part of the season than in the playoffs when the fights for the championship ring begin. After each team plays the mentioned 82 games, the playoff series is played. 

The NBA is divided into Eastern and Western Conferences, and in each of these conferences, it is necessary to play three playoff series: quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. After that, the winners of the conference play the grand final, the winner of which eventually becomes the champion.

In the finals and the previously mentioned playoff series, one team must achieve four victories. In that way, for one team to become a champion, it must achieve 16 victories in the playoffs after 82 games in the regular part of the season.

The play-off series and even the finals alone can last because it is necessary to achieve four victories, so it is possible to play a maximum of seven matches in the finals and all previous playoff series. The teams that make it to the finals play over 100 games during the season, which is a truly incredible effort no matter how fantastically built and prepared the NBA players are. 

The longest NBA basketball game 

As we mentioned, the NBA game lasts 48 minutes, and if the winner is not won after that time, overtime is played. Without overtime, the game lasts an average of two hours due to numerous breaks due to fouls, timeouts, and other things, but some NBA games have gone down in history for the length of the match. 

The longest game in NBA history was played on January 6, 1951, and the participants in that game were the Indianapolis Olympians and the Rochester Royals. As many as six overtimes were seen in this match, which means that the match lasted as long as 78 minutes. The Olympians won 75-73 while the Rochester Royals later became champions.

This game has officially entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest NBA game of all time. What is important to note is that at that time, a 24-second attack had not yet been introduced. That rule was introduced in 1955, and a little more than three decades later, the longest NBA game since the rule was introduced. On November 9, 1989, the Minneapolis Bucks defeated the Seattle Supersonics 155-154 after five overtimes. The match lasted 73 minutes.

Final words

One NBA game lasts 48 minutes, which is eight minutes longer than in European basketball. Each game consists of four quarters lasting 12 minutes. If we don't get a winner after 48 minutes, overtime lasts for five minutes. 

The average length of an NBA game is just over two hours. The NBA has determined that the game lasts so long because it is estimated that that time is ideal for fans, but also for players to participate in one competitive game. 

After each quarter, the players take a break, and there is a break of 15 minutes between the two halves. During the season, each team plays 82 games in the regular season. After that, the playoffs were played, after which the NBA won the championship. 

The league is divided into two conferences and in each of the conferences after the end of the regular part of the season, the playoff series is played: quarterfinals, semifinals, finals after which the grand finale is played. In each playoff series, even in the grand final, a maximum of seven games can be played, because in order for a team to qualify for the next round, it must achieve four victories. NBA games can take quite a long time because sometimes you can play several overtimes. 

The longest game in NBA history was played by the Indianapolis Olympians and the Rochester Royals, which ended after six overtimes and 78 minutes of play.