
Basketball is a sport that has been part of the Olympic programme since 1936, with women's basketball added in 1976. Overtime or extra time is a tie-breaking method used in basketball to determine a winner when scores are tied at the end of regulation. In Olympic basketball, teams play five-minute overtimes until a winner is decided. Each team gets one additional timeout per overtime. The 2024 Paris Olympics featured two overtime games: France defeated Japan in the Group Stage, and Serbia eliminated Australia in the quarterfinals.
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What You'll Learn

Overtime rules in Olympic basketball
Olympic basketball games are divided into four quarters lasting 10 minutes each. This is shorter than NBA games, which feature 12-minute quarters, but is comparable to WNBA and NCAA games. If the game is tied after four quarters, a five-minute overtime period is played. Teams continue playing five-minute overtimes until a winner is decided. Each team gets one timeout per overtime, lasting 60 seconds, and timeouts do not carry over between halves or overtimes.
In Olympic basketball, players foul out of the game after committing five personal fouls. Teams are considered "over the limit" once their players combine to commit five fouls in a single quarter. At that point, the opposing team is awarded two free throws for any defensive foul committed, even if the foul did not occur during the act of shooting.
Goaltending rules in Olympic basketball differ from those in the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA. In the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA, there is an imaginary cylinder above the basket, and touching the ball while it's within that cylinder—even if the ball has already hit the rim—results in an offensive or defensive goaltending violation. In Olympic basketball, governed by FIBA rules, once the ball hits the rim, any offensive or defensive player can legally play the ball.
The three-point line in Olympic basketball is also different from that in the NBA. In international competition, the three-point line for both men and women is 6.75 meters (about 22.1 feet) from the basket at its furthest point, whereas the NBA line is slightly farther back at 23.75 feet.
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How overtime differs from the NBA
Olympic basketball games are divided into four quarters lasting 10 minutes each, making them shorter than NBA games, which feature 12-minute quarters. The overtime duration is the same for both NBA and Olympic basketball, i.e., five minutes. However, in the NBA, teams are given two timeouts and their short timeout can be carried over to the next half if unused. In Olympic basketball, each team gets one timeout per overtime, and timeouts from regulation do not carry over.
There are other differences between NBA and Olympic basketball as well. For instance, in Olympic basketball, players foul out of the game after committing five personal fouls, whereas the NBA sets the individual foul limit at six. Teams are considered "over the limit" in Olympic basketball once their players combine to commit five fouls in a single quarter. At that point, the opposing team is awarded two free throws for any defensive foul committed, even if the foul did not occur during the act of shooting.
The three-point line in Olympic basketball is also different from that in the NBA. In international competition, the three-point line for both men and women is 6.75 meters (about 22.1 feet) from the basket at its furthest point. The NBA line is farther back at 23.75 feet.
Goaltending also works differently in Olympic basketball compared to the NBA. In Olympic basketball, if a ball is blocked before it hits the rim while in downward flight, it is a goaltending violation under FIBA rules. However, once the ball hits the rim, any offensive or defensive player can legally play the ball. In the NBA, there is an imaginary cylinder above the basket, and touching the ball while it's within that cylinder – even if the ball has already hit the rim – results in a goaltending violation.
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Examples of overtime games at the Olympics
Basketball has been a part of the Olympic programme since 1936, when the men's competition debuted. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976. The rules of Olympic basketball differ slightly from those of the NBA and WNBA. For instance, in Olympic basketball, players foul out of the game after committing five personal fouls, whereas the NBA and WNBA set the individual foul limit at six.
In the 5-on-5 version of Olympic basketball, the scoring system is the same as in the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, and other leagues. Two points are awarded for a field goal made inside the 3-point arc, three points are awarded for a field goal made from beyond the 3-point arc, and one point is awarded for a free throw. The team with the most points at the end of four quarters wins the game. If the game is tied after four quarters, a five-minute overtime period is played. The teams continue playing five-minute overtimes until a winner is decided.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, there were two overtime games. France defeated Japan in overtime in the Group Stage, and Serbia eliminated Australia in overtime in the quarterfinals.
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The duration of overtime periods
Olympic basketball games can go into overtime if the game ends with both teams tied. The duration of overtime periods in Olympic basketball is 10 minutes each, which is two minutes shorter than in the NBA.
Olympic basketball follows the rules of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). FIBA was organised in 1932 in Geneva, Switzerland, and the first Olympic basketball tournament was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany.
There are several differences between the rules of Olympic basketball and NBA basketball. For example, in Olympic basketball, players foul out of the game after committing five personal fouls, whereas in the NBA, the limit is set at six. Another difference is in the defensive three-second violation rule. In the NBA, defensive players are not allowed to stay in the lane for more than three seconds unless they are actively guarding an offensive player. However, this rule does not exist in FIBA basketball, so defensive players are allowed to camp out in the lane.
Additionally, the size of the basketball used in Olympic basketball is slightly different from that of the NBA. The FIBA regulations stipulate a circumference range of 749-780mm for men's basketball, compared to 749.3-755.65mm in the NBA. For women's basketball, the FIBA uses a circumference of 736.6mm, while the WNBA uses a slightly smaller ball with a circumference of 724mm.
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Fouls and violations in Olympic basketball
Olympic basketball operates under rules and regulations set by FIBA, the governing body for international basketball. While international basketball shares similarities with major American professional (NBA, WNBA) and collegiate (NCAA) games, there are some notable differences.
In Olympic basketball, players foul out of the game after committing five personal fouls. This matches the rule for NCAA basketball, but differs from NBA and WNBA regulations, which set the individual foul limit at six. Teams are considered "over the limit" once their players combine to commit five fouls in a single quarter. At this point, the opposing team is awarded two free throws for any defensive foul committed, even if the foul did not occur during the act of shooting.
Goaltending rules in Olympic basketball also differ from those in the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA. In the latter leagues, there is an imaginary cylinder above the basket, and touching the ball within this cylinder—even if it has already hit the rim—results in a goaltending violation. In Olympic basketball, however, once the ball hits the rim, any offensive or defensive player can legally play the ball.
Additionally, Olympic basketball does not have the "defensive three-second violation" rule present in the NBA and WNBA. This rule prohibits defensive players from staying in the lane for more than three seconds unless they are actively guarding an offensive player. In Olympic basketball, players are free to camp out in the lane while on defense without time restrictions.
Technical fouls in Olympic basketball can be given for any rule violation but are commonly called in response to unsportsmanlike conduct. For a technical foul, opponents are awarded a free throw with possession of the ball at the centerline.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there is overtime in Olympic basketball.
If the scores are tied at the end of regulation, the game goes into overtime, or extra time (ET), which is a five-minute period used to determine the winner. Teams continue playing these five-minute overtimes until a winner is decided. Each team gets one additional timeout per overtime.
Yes, each timeout lasts 60 seconds and they do not carry over between halves or overtimes. Timeouts can only be called in dead-ball situations, meaning players cannot call a timeout mid-possession to avoid a jump-ball situation.
Yes, overtime is used in various basketball competitions, including the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, and the Olympic hockey games.
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, France defeated Japan in overtime in the Group Stage, and Serbia eliminated Australia in overtime in the quarterfinals. In the 2018 Winter Olympics, the USA defeated Canada in a shootout in the women's final after a 20-minute overtime period with no score.










































