40-Minute Games: The NBA's Idea to Reduce Injuries

The NBA is seeking solutions to curb the growing succession of injuries affecting its players. On the night of October 28, a total of 80 players were listed as unavailable for their respective teams. This means 15% of the entire league when barely two weeks of the season had been played. In light of this scenario, the League is exploring various alternatives to reduce the physical strain on players and protect their health in a schedule that demands constant effort.

The option that might seem simplest would be to reduce the 82 games of the regular season. However, this possibility is unfeasible due to the economic consequences it would have. The franchises would lose income from television rights and ticket sales. Additionally, it would also impact player salaries, something they would hardly accept.

The possibility of reducing from 48 to 40 minutes

Given the difficulties in modifying the schedule, a proposal that has been on the table for years has gained traction again: reducing the duration of games from the current 48 minutes to 40, as is done in FIBA basketball. According to some U.S. media, Commissioner Adam Silver is considering this alternative.

However, the measure would also have negative consequences. The reduction in playing time could lead franchise owners to demand a salary cut for players. Moreover, there would be fewer minutes available for advertising slots, another key source of income for the league.

Image

Doubts about its effectiveness and impact on records

There are also doubts about the real effectiveness of this proposal. Some believe that an eight-minute reduction would not significantly affect the playing time of the star players, but would mainly hurt the rotation players. The starters would still play more than half an hour per game, while the rest of the roster would have to share fewer minutes. This situation could lead teams to reduce the number of players on their rosters as fewer players would be needed.

Another particularly sensitive aspect would be the statistics and records. The NBA places enormous importance on numbers, and it is evident that playing 40-minute games instead of 48 would make it harder to achieve the same statistics. If the change were ultimately approved, all records set thereafter would have to be distinguished with an asterisk in the history books.

While the NBA searches for a solution to an increasingly concerning problem, injuries continue to pile up. Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, Kawhi Leonard, Jalen Williams, and Tyrese Haliburton are some of the stars who have already been sidelined this season. A trickle of absences that affects both the spectacle and the competition itself.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Partidos de 40 minutos: La idea de la NBA para reducir lesiones