Okay, so the other day I was watching some NBA preseason games, and it got me thinking – do they even have overtime in these things? I mean, they’re just preseason, right? So, I did what any curious person would do: I hit the internet!
My Deep Dive into NBA Preseason Rules
First, I started by just casually browsing some NBA forums. You know, seeing what other fans were saying. There was a lot of mixed info, some people saying “yes, of course!” and others saying “no way, it’s just practice!” Not super helpful.
So, I decided to go a bit more official. I headed over to the NBA’s official website. I figured, if anyone knows the rules, it’s gotta be them, right?
I scrolled through a bunch of articles and rulebooks. It’s not exactly light reading, let me tell you! There are a lot of rules and bylaws, so you must spend some time reading them.
Finally,I find the answer, and the answer is “yes”. Preseason games can go into overtime. But it’s not the same as regular season overtime.
- Regular Season OT: 5-minute periods, keep playing until someone wins.
- Preseason OT: Only a 2-minute period. If it’s still tied after that, the game ends in a tie. No sudden death, no endless overtimes.
Yep, a tie! It’s a little anticlimactic, but I guess it makes sense. They’re just trying to get the players warmed up and test out strategies, not grind them down with endless extra play.
So, there you have it! My little investigation into the world of NBA preseason overtime. It’s a shorter overtime, and you can end up with a tie game, which feels a bit weird, but it’s all part of the preseason process.
