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Overtime (OT) or extra time (ET) is a method used in basketball to break a tie between two teams at the end of regulation play. In the NBA, overtime periods are five minutes long, and there is no limit to how many overtime periods can occur in a single game. Triple overtime games have occurred multiple times in NBA Playoff history, with the first triple overtime game featuring the Boston Celtics.
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What You'll Learn
Triple overtime in the NBA
In the NBA, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, the teams play multiple five-minute overtime periods until a winner is decided. Triple overtime games are rare in the NBA, but they have occurred on several occasions.
One of the most famous triple-overtime games in NBA history is the 1976 NBA Finals Game 5 between the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns. The game is often referred to as "the greatest game ever played." The Celtics and the Suns were tied 2-2 in the series, and the game went to triple overtime, the first Finals game ever to do so. The Celtics ultimately won the game 128-126, thanks in part to six points in the third OT from seldom-used reserve Glenn McDonald. Two days later, the Celtics beat the Suns again in Phoenix to claim their 13th NBA championship.
Another notable triple-overtime game took place on January 29, 2022, between the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat during the 2021-22 regular season. The Raptors emerged victorious with a final score of 124-120. More recently, on November 26, 2021, the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers played a triple-overtime game, with the Kings defeating the Lakers 141-137.
While triple-overtime games are uncommon, it is important to note that the NBA does have a rule limiting regular-season games to six hours of real time from the opening tip-off. This rule ensures that games do not extend indefinitely, and if a game goes past triple overtime, it may enter quadruple overtime or a sudden-death format to determine a winner.
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Overtime rules in basketball
NBA Overtime Rules
In the NBA, if the game is tied at the end of regulation, there will be a 2-minute overtime period, with each team awarded one additional timeout. The overtime period starts with a jump ball, and all subsequent jump balls are determined by alternating possession. Each team can have a maximum of 5 players on the court, with up to 12 players on the roster.
College Basketball Overtime Rules
In college basketball, the overtime rules are similar to the NBA, with a few key differences. In the NCAA, each team is granted one 75-second timeout at the start of the overtime period. Any unused timeouts from regulation can be carried over, giving teams additional strategic and rest advantages. College basketball games can also go into multiple overtime periods until a winner is decided, as seen in the 1981 game between Cincinnati and Bradley, which went into an incredible seven overtimes!
Euroleague Basketball Overtime Rules
Euroleague Basketball, which organizes the EuroLeague and EuroCup, introduced a rule change for two-legged ties starting in the 2009-10 season. This rule eliminates overtime unless it is necessary to break a tie on aggregate.
FIBA Europe Overtime Rules
FIBA Europe competitions use overtime only if the aggregate score after the second game is tied. A rule change effective 1 October 2017 permits drawn games at the end of either leg of the two-legged tie, with no extra period played if the score is tied after the first game.
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) Overtime Rules
The Basketball Tournament, a 64-team single-elimination tournament in the US, eliminated overtime starting in 2018. Instead, they employ the "Elam Ending," where upon the first dead ball with 4 minutes or less in the fourth period, the game clock is turned off, but the shot clock remains active. The first team to score wins, ensuring the game always ends on a basket.
Variations and Differences
The rules and formats of overtime can vary depending on the league and level of competition. Some leagues may use "sudden death" provisions, where the first team to score in overtime immediately wins the game. In other competitions, multiple overtime periods are played until a winner emerges. The length of overtime periods can also differ, with standard overtime periods being 2 minutes or 5 minutes, depending on the league.
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History of triple overtime in the NBA Playoffs
Overtime (OT) or extra time (ET) is a tie-breaking method used in basketball. If the scores are equal after the regular period of play has ended, an additional period of play is contested to determine the winner. In the NBA, overtime periods are five minutes long. If the game remains tied after the first overtime period, the game goes to double overtime, and then, if necessary, to triple overtime.
There have been six triple-overtime games in NBA playoff history. The first triple-overtime game in the NBA Playoffs occurred between the Boston Celtics and the Syracuse Nationals in the 1953 NBA Finals. The game was won by the Nationals, who came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series. This was the first NBA playoff game to go into three overtimes and the only one to go into four.
The next triple-overtime game in the NBA Playoffs occurred in 1966 between the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the lead changing hands several times. The Suns, behind former Celtic Paul Westphal, were able to tie the game and force overtime. The first and second overtimes ended in a tie, and the Celtics eventually won in the third overtime.
The most recent triple-overtime game in the NBA Playoffs occurred in 2011 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference semi-finals. This game was also the first in NBA playoff history to go to four overtimes.
Other notable triple-overtime games in the NBA include the 1957 NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Hawks, which the Celtics won, and the 2009 first-round matchup between the Bulls and the Celtics.
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The Elam Ending
While basketball games can go into triple overtime, the Elam Ending is a rules format designed to ensure that a game always ends on a basket.
In the Elam Ending, the game clock is turned off at the first whistle with under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. A target score is then set by adding a predetermined number of points to the leading team's score. For example, if the score is 80-72 when the game clock is turned off, the target score will be 88. The first team to reach or exceed the target score wins.
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Overtime periods in FIBA Europe competitions
FIBA Europe competitions are the only ones that use overtime only if the aggregate score after the second game is tied. In basketball, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, the teams play multiple five-minute overtime periods until a winner is decided.
In 2009, Euroleague Basketball, the organiser of the EuroLeague and EuroCup, introduced a new rule for two-legged ties that eliminated overtime unless necessary to break a tie on aggregate. This rule was first used in the 2009–10 EuroCup quarterfinals. Euroleague Basketball extended this rule to all two-legged ties in its competitions, including the EuroLeague, in 2010–11.
In 2017, a change in the FIBA rules (Article D.4.2) permitted drawn games at the end of either leg of the two-legged tie. The definition states, "If the score is tied at the end of the first game, no extra period shall be played." If the aggregate score of both games for a two-games home-and-away total points series competition system is tied at the end of the second game, the game shall continue with as many overtimes of five minutes duration each as necessary to break the tie.
The rules of overtime vary between sports and even different competitions. Some may employ "sudden death", where the first player or team who scores immediately wins the game. This rule is sometimes known as a golden goal. In others, play continues until a specified time has elapsed, and only then is the winner declared.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there is no limit to the number of overtime periods in basketball. Teams play multiple overtime periods until a winner is decided.
Each overtime period is five minutes long.
Yes, there have been several triple overtime games in the NBA. For example, the Boston Celtics and Syracuse Nationals played a triple overtime game in the 1953 NBA Finals.
