Why do basketball games sometimes go to double overtime?
Why a tie leads to more overtime
Basketball games need a winner, so a tied score after regulation sends the game into extra time. Each overtime period is shorter than a regular quarter, and the teams keep playing until the score is no longer tied when the period ends.
A second overtime is common in close games because teams often trade baskets late. Free throws or a last-second shot can keep the margin at one or two points, and fatigue can slow the final minutes.
Factors that stretch the game
Timeouts and fouls near the end of a period can extend the action. Teams can use timeouts in overtime as they would in regulation, which affects how the final shots are set up.
A player who fouls out cannot return, so a team can run short of options in later overtimes. Those limits often change the lineup and the pace of play.
- A tied score at the end of an overtime sends the game to another period.
- Each overtime period is shorter than a regulation quarter.
- Timeouts are available in overtime, but the number may be limited.
- A player who fouls out stays out for the rest of the game.
Common mistakes
- Assuming overtime is always five minutes for every league and level.
- Thinking a tie on the final buzzer of overtime ends the game.
- Forgetting that a fouled-out player cannot return even in later overtimes.
