Celtics vs. Nets Will Experiment with 44-Minute Preseason Game Length

If the Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets preseason game seems slightly shorter than normal, that's because it will be. The matchup, set for Sunday, will be only 44 minutes long rather than the typical 48-minute regulation game.

Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today broke the news and provided comments from NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn:

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We have looked at everything that we do and are taking a fresh look at all the different things we do. One of the things that keeps coming up is our schedule and the length of our games. ... Our coaches talked about it, and a lot of them seemed to be in favor of at least taking a look at it. We talked with our competition committee, and they were in favor of taking a look at it. ...

... Let's get some empirical evidence regarding this and take a fresh look at it.

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Rather than simply discussing the matter, the NBA will put the plan into action prior to the regular season getting underway. In order to cut the game times down by four minutes, the quarters will only be 11 minutes rather than the usual 12.

One point brought up by Kurt Helin of NBC Sports was how it will affect a recent move made by the NBA:

The league recently announced new media deals with Turner Sports and ESPN, which last through the 2024-25 season. Nothing has been announced about 44-minute games becoming a rule anytime soon during the regular season, but shortened contests might affect advertising.

Regardless of the bearing on the TV deal, it would be interesting to see how reducing game times affected the product on the court. With an 82-game season, eventually shortening game times would lessen wear and tear for some of the NBA's biggest stars.

As Zillgitt points out, simply reducing one minute from each quarter equates to removing seven games' worth of minutes from the season. That can only add to the intensity on the floor and create better playoff basketball—which is a win for everybody.

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