Sandro Azerrad
In every professional sports league, players are given breaks to rest and regroup.
In hockey, these breaks are known as intermissions, which take place after the 1st and 2ndperiod.
While there is no official rest period in Major League Baseball, most players and coaches are sitting in the dugout each inning, at bat.
The break times for football, soccer and basketball are most similar. Each one involves a halftime.
Note that soccer only has two halves in a game, while football and basketball are divided into four quarters.
Regardless, halftime always takes place midway through the game.
In the NBA, halftime debuts at the sound of the second-quarter buzzer, granted there are no fouls given or plays under review.
There’s a lot that can take place prior and during NBA halftimes.
But before we continue, let’s answer the question you came here for…
How long is NBA Halftime?
NBA halftime is 15 minutes long for all regular season games and playoffs. Halftime takes place between the second and third quarters of the game. Players and coaching staff are to return to their locker rooms during the break until play resumes for the third quarter.
Meanwhile, the fans are treated to halftime entertainment should they remain in their seats.
You need to keep them stimulated while the game is on break, otherwise they will easily get frantic, especially the young kids in the audience.
What is NBA Halftime used for?
Halftime benefits everyone involved in the game. I’m not just talking about the teams, but the spectators and the NBA itself.
Player Breaks
Games are intense and players exert a lot of energy to compete. It is only fair for players to get a break mid-game to rest and regain their energy.
They likely also use that time to treat minor injuries such as aches, pains, sore muscles and so on.
While basketball is not considered to be a contact sport, there is a lot of bumping, pushing and blocking that goes on.
Furthermore, players get called for personal fouls involving illegal contact against their opponent.
So, a little ice may be able to numb out the pain and restore their edge in the game.
Also note that NBA rosters are quite small compared to other sports leagues.
Your key players can easily play 35-40 minutes of game clock per game.
Regroup & Talk Strategy
During the break, the coach will use that time to talk strategy with his players.
If you’re the winning team, you’ll want to cover the elements that gave you the lead in the first place.
If your team can maintain composure, you can build on that lead and bring home the win.
Meanwhile, if you’re on the losing end, the coach will discuss tactics to close the score gap and keep the game tight.
Lastly, the score can be tied going to halftime and coaches will cover what their teams were doing right and wrong up to this point.
Spectator Breaks
If you’re a spectator in the crowd, you’ll likely need a bathroom or food break midway in the game.
Remember, these games can last close to 2.5 hours in real time.
Many in the audience are drinking alcohol, which leads to long lineups for the washroom.
Part of it can also be from the excitement and anxiety from the game itself.
Advertisement
The NBA has an agreement in place with the TV networks to cut to commercial breaks.
There is an actual advertisement quota in place.
Commercial breaks are taken during gameplay and prior to the start of quarters two and four.
Halftime is used to meet the remainder of the league’s guaranteed advertisement quota.
So, if you’re watching the halftime show on TV, you’ll notice the sponsorship breaks at some point during those 15 minutes.
Official Rules before Halftime
There are certain rules that officials must adhere to before they can leave the court for halftime. These rules deal with reviewable plays on the Instant Replay monitor.
First off, officials are required to review field goals that need to be reversed to two- or three-point plays.
And second, any shot at the halftime buzzer must be reviewed to confirm the ball was released on time.
Once reviewed and properly assessed, the referees are permitted to retreat to their locker room for the break.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned earlier, even though the NBA is not considered a contact sport, the game is physically intense, nonetheless.
Seeing that NBA teams are composed of a small roster and the bloated play times for star players, halftime breaks each game are well warranted.
Keep in mind that the NBA season consists of 82 games during the regular season.
NBA playoffs can add significantly to the game count as well.
Personally, the halftime shows are of great value to the casual fan.
They get to see the pundits talk about in-game strategies, stats and lesser-known elements of the game.
Because the rulebook is so convoluted, it’s nice to have an experienced person break down the play in the heat of the moment.
Halftime is a great opportunity for those explanations.
