So I was watching the playoffs last night, right? Double overtime thriller between the Celtics and Heat. My pizza got cold while waiting for it to end, got me thinking: how long do these games actually run with extra periods? Grabbed my phone to google it but realized I should track it properly myself.
My Game Tracking Setup
Pulled up league rules first. NBA site says each quarter is 12 minutes, halftime 15 minutes, timeouts 2-3 minutes each. But rules don’t cover real-world delays. Needed live data. So I did three things:
- Dug through my DVR for 5 regular season games that went to OT
- Timed a recent playoff double-OT game from tip-off to final buzzer
- Kept notes on stoppages: reviews, free throws, timeouts
What The Clock Doesn’t Show
During the Bucks-Knicks replay, I hit start on my kitchen timer at 7:30 PM tip-off. Clock stopped constantly! Saw:
- TV timeouts every few minutes (those Toyota ads add up)
- Injury stoppages when Randle landed funny
- Refs reviewing like 4 calls – took forever
- Overtime setup took 5 mins alone with players huddling
The Raw Numbers
After crunching my handwritten notes:
- Regulation average: 2h15m to 2h30m
- Each OT period: Adds 12-18 real minutes
- Double OT example: Total runtime hit 3h07m!
Why It Varies
Playoff games drag longer with more reviews and timeouts. Regular season OTs felt faster when teams were tired. The craziest part? Even without OT, last 2 minutes of close games can take 20 real minutes with all the fouling and clock stoppages.
Bottom line: clear 3 hours minimum if it goes to overtime. My cold pizza now makes total sense. Should’ve microwaved it during that second quarter TV timeout!
