‘This Would Literally Ruin Basketball,’ ‘Do Not Do That’ — NBA World Outraged As Adam Silver ‘Likes the Idea’ Of 40-Minute Games
‘This Would Literally Ruin Basketball,’ ‘Do Not Do That’ — NBA World Outraged As Adam Silver ‘Likes the Idea’ Of 40-Minute Games
Aliasgar Ayaz Wed, November 4, 2026 at 6:07 AM UTC
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'This Would Literally Ruin Basketball,' 'Do Not Do That' -- NBA World Outraged As Adam Silver 'Likes the Idea' Of 40-Minute Games
NBA fans are pushing back against the possibility of shorter games after a recent report suggested Adam Silver prefers reducing NBA contests from 48 to 40 minutes.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix recently discussed the commissioner’s preference, but the idea is not new, and Silver has openly supported it before.
NBA Fans Outraged as Adam Silver’s 40-Minute Game Preference Resurfaces
Mannix discussed the possibility during a recent appearance alongside Rachel Nichols on Sports Illustrated. He said Silver likes the idea of replacing the NBA’s traditional four 12-minute quarters with four 10-minute periods, bringing games in line with the international format.
“Adam Silver likes the idea of 40-minute games. Adam’s a globalist when it comes to basketball. But I just don’t see financially how it is feasible,” Mannix said.
He also explained that shortening games would not necessarily reduce the workload of the biggest stars. Instead, he believes players further down the rotation would lose opportunities.
The comments quickly drew criticism from basketball fans, many of whom believe changing the length of NBA games would affect the sport’s identity and history.
“This would literally ruin basketball,” one hoops fan wrote.
A Pacers fan account also warned about the impact on historical comparisons, saying: “NO… this would change basketball history and how we compare stats across generations.”
Others directed their frustration at the commissioner, as one user wrote: “Adam Silver needs to be fired IMMEDIATELY.”
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“This dude sucks at his job,” a sports content creatorquipped.
“Do not do that lol,” a user posted.
However, the first time Silver publicly expressed the idea was in January 2025. He appeared on The Dan Patrick Show and openly said he was a fan of four 10-minute quarters.
“As we get more involved in global basketball, the NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes,” Silver explained. “I am a fan of four 10-minute quarters.”
Silver argued that a two-hour game would better fit modern television viewing habits, citing Olympic and college basketball, both of which use a 40-minute format. He also acknowledged that shortening games could affect records and statistics, although he said he was putting those concerns aside when discussing the idea.
At the time, ESPN reported that NBA games averaged 2 hours and 16 minutes, making them considerably longer than the two-hour format Silver preferred. The discussion also drew opposition from coaches.
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A switch would have significant consequences beyond the length of games. NBA games have featured four 12-minute quarters throughout the league’s history, and reducing them to 10 minutes would make many scoring and playing-time records harder to compare across generations.
While Mannix’s latest comments have revived an old debate, they do not mean the league is preparing to introduce 40-minute games.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
Source: “AOL Sports”
