NBA coaches are pushing back hard against a surprising new proposal to shorten games.
League commissioner Adam Silver wants to cut each quarter from 12 minutes to 10, trimming a full eight minutes off every game. His reason? Today’s fans have shorter attention spans.
"A two-hour format is more consistent with modern television habits," Silver said on The Dan Patrick Show. He pointed out that the NBA is the only major basketball league still playing 48-minute games.
Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone isn’t having it.
"I hope we don’t become Barnum & Bailey, doing whatever we have to do to keep viewership," Malone said after his team’s loss to the Knicks. "There’s a greatness and a purity to this game that I hope we can stay true to."
He’s not alone. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau also wants to keep things as they are.
"I think we have a great game," Thibodeau said. "What people want to see is competition."
The change would be pretty dramatic. NBA games currently run about 2 hours and 16 minutes – a length that’s stayed remarkably consistent over the past 15 years.
But it’s not just about game length. Shorter games would make it nearly impossible to break long-standing records. Think about it – scoring 50 points is already really tough in 48 minutes. Take away eight minutes, and those classic performances might never be matched.
The league would probably need to create a whole new record book for the "10-minute era."
While Silver deserves credit for trying to keep the NBA fresh and relevant, this idea seems to be getting a cold reception from the people who know the game best.
Maybe some traditions are worth keeping, even in our fast-paced digital world.
