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How long does the final minute of an NBA game last?

2013 NBA Finals - Game One

2013 NBA Finals - Game One

Noah Graham

There are 60 seconds remaining in the game you’re watching on television, and you’re with people who want to leave.

“How much time is left,” they ask.

“One minute,” you reply.

“How long will that really take?” they ask.

We’ve all been there.

Now, thanks to InPredictable, you can give a better estimate than ever: 5.4 minutes.

The site crunched the numbers and found how long each of an NBA game’s 48 minutes takes in real time. Unsurprisingly, the final minute took the longest by a wide margin.

Of course, there are other variables. If college is any indication, close games tend to take longer at the end. I’m sure that applies to the NBA, too.

Plus, as InPredictable found, games on TNT, ABC and ESPN last nearly 15 minutes longer than games on NBA TV and local stations. I’d guess that inflates the final minute as well.

But now we have a starting point to work from: 5.4 minutes.