NBA commissioner Adam Silver has previously communicated an openness to reducing the standard game from 48 minutes down to 40. That possibility is back in the news after NBA reporter Chris Mannix floated Silver’s dream on November 3rd as a potential plan to counteract this recent rash of injuries.
I actually think Adam Silver, from what I’ve heard, like he likes the idea of 40-minute games. I mean, Adam’s a globalist when it comes to basketball, but I just don’t see financially how it’s feasible. And I also think, like I said, it’s not going to affect the minutes of stars.
That Mannix comment went viral, leading to headlines like, “‘This Would Literally Ruin Basketball,’ ‘Do Not Do That’ — NBA World Outraged As Adam Silver ‘Likes the Idea’ Of 40-Minute Games.”
I don’t believe that the 40 minute idea is the proper tool for ameliorating injuries, but what’s been lost in this reaction is that Silver’s focus with this concept has been on entertainment value, not health. The question isn’t, “Will 40 minutes prevent injuries?” It’s, “Will 40 minutes make the games more entertaining?” I’d argue that Adam’s reform would, even if the change feels sacrilegious. I don’t think it’s a stupid idea at all and I additionally believe it addresses a pernicious modern NBA problem. That problem just isn’t injuries. It’s something else, that isn’t articulated enough.