Are you tired of watching basketball teams play the clock instead of the game? Sick of watching teams build big leads and then squander them away with terrible offensive possessions in an attempt to drain the clock and escape safely with a win?
Well, then you’ll love the Elam Ending — a format in which basketball games ditch the game clock during the fourth quarter and instead play to a target score.
It’s coming to the NBA G League:
“Beginning in 2022-23, games that advance to overtime will be determined by a Final Target Score. The winner of an overtime game during the season will be the first team to reach or surpass the Final Target Score, which will be the tied score after four quarters plus seven. For example, if the teams are tied at 100-100, the Final Target Score would be 107. Overtime will be untimed and games will end when a team makes a basket or free throw to reach or surpass the Final Target Score.”
The Elam Ending is far from new. It was first introduced in the TBT back in 2017 and became most popular when it made its way to the NBA All-Star Game in 2020.
We’ve seen the NBA take the “Coach’s Challenge and the 14 Second Shot Clock Reset on offensive rebounds” straight from the G League and eventually implement them into their league. So, don’t be surprised if the Elam Ending makes its way to the Association at some point.
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