How Many NBA Games Are In a Season?

min read
Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons dribbles on Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in the second half of the game at Little Caesars Arena on October 30, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan.
(Rick Osentoski/Getty Images)
Chase Kiddy @chaseakiddy Oct 24, 2024, 1:57 PM

There are 82 games in a normal NBA season, stretching from mid-October into mid-April.ย 

At the beginning of the year, all 30 teams are involved in the day-to-day NBA odds market. But by the time the playoffs start, roughly half the league is eliminated from the NBA championship odds hunt.ย 

Itโ€™s not uncommon for teams that go deep into the NBA playoffs to play 100 games or more in a given year.

NBA Season Length

In recent years, there has been some discussion that 82 games might be too many. Players are constantly hurt, and the season drags in the later winter and early spring. Casual fans begin to lose interest.ย 

Some NBA stakeholders have wondered if the season would be improved by shortening it by 20 or 30 games, emphasizing the playoff chase and maximizing the importance of a single game.

As a sports product, the NBA might very well benefit from a shorter regular season.

Unfortunately, a shorter season would also create a new world of problems โ€“ everything from devaluing television contracts to complicated historical stat comparisons.

Like it or not, the 82-game regular season is likely here to stay.

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About the Author

Chase Kiddy

Read More @chaseakiddy

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.

Chase Kiddy is a writer for BetMGM and co-host of The Lion's Edge, an NFL and college football podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else. He has also written for a number of print and online outlets, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Washington Post, Daily News-Record, and HERO Sports. His first novel, Cave Paintings, is in development.