Celtics to play Nets in "shortened game experiment"

[Fafnir]

Owners don't care about players wearing down, they can control players minutes already directly. Just play them less, their direct employees (coaches) are the ones who control the minutes.

This is entirely about Turner/ESPN wanting shorter games to broadcast, while still maintaining the level of ad slots.

[nickagneta]

Owners don't care about players wearing down, they can control players minutes already directly. Just play them less, their direct employees (coaches) are the ones who control the minutes.

This is entirely about Turner/ESPN wanting shorter games to broadcast, while still maintaining the level of ad slots.

Exactly, not to mention it appears as if Thorn was asked this question and just answered that he didn't know if it would effect a player's playing time.

The league is just trying to get game length under a certain time frame to accommodate a certain time slot for each telecast, probably wanting a vast majority of games to end in under 130 minutes.

[Mencius]

Owners don't care about players wearing down, they can control players minutes already directly. Just play them less, their direct employees (coaches) are the ones who control the minutes.

This is entirely about Turner/ESPN wanting shorter games to broadcast, while still maintaining the level of ad slots.

Exactly, not to mention it appears as if Thorn was asked this question and just answered that he didn't know if it would effect a player's playing time.

The league is just trying to get game length under a certain time frame to accommodate a certain time slot for each telecast, probably wanting a vast majority of games to end in under 130 minutes.

If this is the case, then the 44 minute games that they are proposing flies in the face of "Turner/ESPN wanting shorter games to broadcast, while still maintaining the level of ad slots.", as what they are proposing is:

Each quarter will have two mandatory timeouts at the first dead ball under 6:59 and the first dead ball under 2:59, and the game will have two fewer mandatory timeouts than a normal game. In a 48-minute game, there are three mandatory timeouts in the second and fourth quarters, and the first mandatory timeout comes at the first dead ball under 5:59.

Thus, fewer timeouts for ad revenue means less revenue, unless they charge more per spot.  Whatever the case, we'll learn soon enough what they claim their rationale is.

[Timdawgg]

I would rather they change the Freethrows to one Freethrow worth either 1,2 or 3 points over this suggestion.

[Redz]

Play games to 21.  Winner has to win by 2.  That always worked well for pickup games.

[Celtics4ever]

Now we will they have a PER 28?

Time wise, I think the game is fine, and keeping it the same will throw all time stats awry.   I do hope they change the draft rules though.

People do not like the ads, period.   I fast forward through commercials.

[makaveli]

i remember watching my first NBA game, live on TV. Being from Croatia, im used to euro basketball, and a basketball game over here can't last more than 1hour 45 minutes(we do play 8 minutes less but still). I just could not believe that a normal game is over 2hours and 30minutes in the NBA!!! imagine us, international fans, waking up at 1-3 am and being awake for almost 3 hours and then go o school or work. I thank God for NBA LP, as i am a 4th year returning customer.
The timeouts are killing me. I guess it's more important to sell commercial space than it is the game it self!
I mean, you have football, the most popular game in the world, and there are no timeouts, but a 15 min half time break, you can't help to wonder, how do they do it then.
I hope this experiment works, and that they implement it on a regular basis for the seasons to come.

[D.o.s.]

This is what $24 billion gets you

[86MaxwellSmart]

REEEDICULOUS Decision.

[GreenWarrior]

- eliminate most of the refs
- eliminate the free throw routine's or give the players 2 sec's. to shoot the ball   
- eliminate 2 shot fouls, players have 1 free throw on shooting fouls that equal 2 pts. if they make it

this game would move much smoother if there were less refs and less calls.

[mgent]

Who would support this?  I ALREADY feel like I don't get to watch enough basketball.  I've always felt quarters should be 15 minutes like football.

[GreenWarrior]

I like the qrtr's the way they are. it's the constant conferences between the officials that slow the game down. they should be done with them altogether imo. but if they're really compelled to have them out their ruining the game? have 1 ref watching the action around the ball and another watching everything else. and maybe an official watching what the viewers are seeing on a monitor off court.

[Tr1boy]

The nba really doesn't care either way. Except that some of the people coming into watch the games , don't get home until midnight (after fighting to get out, parking lot etc). Even worse is if the game goes to OT.

Like many have suggested the game tipoff should be at 7:00 pm  sharp.  And on Fri, Sat and holiday match ups it could start as late as 8:30 pm.

[hpantazo]

Is it worth skewing all future stats and making comparisons to past stats and records flawed just to spare 4 minutes each game? I can see why coaches would propose it, they can push their starters with less concern about rest, but why would the league even entertain this idea?

[KG Living Legend]

 It's simple. Too much walking the ball up the court, the game gets boring often for the average viewer. I have been thinking this for a while too long of game and too many games, sometimes less is more, just ask the NFL.