The NBA regular season is known to be a grueling test of endurance for players, coaches, and staff. It’s a long haul filled with intense training, practices, film study, travel, and media engagements, all while trying to maintain peak physical condition. At the heart of this demanding schedule are the games themselves, but how many games in an NBA season do teams actually play?
Typically, each NBA team plays 82 regular-season games. This has been the standard format for decades, ensuring a balanced schedule where teams face opponents from both their conference and the opposing conference multiple times. This extensive schedule is designed to identify the best teams that will advance to the playoffs after a true test of skill and consistency throughout many months.
However, the number of games in an NBA season hasn’t always been fixed at 82. There have been instances where the schedule has been shortened due to unforeseen circumstances. The most recent example is the 2019-20 season, which was reduced to 72 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented global event forced the league to adapt and shorten the season to ensure player safety and complete the season in a modified format.
Furthermore, NBA seasons have also been abbreviated due to lockouts. Lockouts occur when there’s a labor dispute between the team owners and the players’ union, often concerning the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). When these negotiations stall and a new agreement isn’t reached in time, the season start can be delayed, leading to a reduced number of games. These situations highlight the complexities of the league’s operations and how external factors can impact the standard number of games in an NBA season.
A more recent addition to the NBA calendar is the In-Season Tournament. Launched in the 2023-24 season, this tournament adds another layer of excitement and competition within the regular season. It’s natural to wonder how the tournament affects the schedule and how many games in an NBA season teams play. The good news is that almost all tournament games, including the group stages and knockout rounds, are incorporated into the existing 82-game regular season schedule. The only exception is the championship game of the In-Season Tournament, which does not count towards the regular season tally for the two participating teams.
For teams that go deep into the playoffs, the total number of games they play in a single season can significantly exceed the standard 82. If a team participates in the Play-In Tournament and then navigates through four rounds of the NBA Playoffs, each potentially going to seven games, they could end up playing a maximum of 113 games if they also reached the final of the In-Season Tournament. This extended schedule demonstrates the incredible physical and mental strain that top NBA teams endure in their pursuit of a championship.
To put this into perspective, the San Antonio Spurs’ 2002-03 championship season serves as a notable example. During that year, the Spurs played 82 regular-season games, plus 24 playoff games on their path to winning the title, totaling 106 games. This illustrates how a successful playoff run can substantially increase the overall workload and game count for a team in a single NBA season.
In conclusion, while the standard answer to “how many games in an NBA season” is 82, it’s important to understand that this number can fluctuate. Factors like pandemics, labor disputes, and new initiatives like the In-Season Tournament, along with playoff runs, all contribute to the actual number of games a team might play. The 82-game regular season remains the foundation, designed to test teams’ mettle and set the stage for the postseason drama.
