Adam Silver’s controversial NBA proposal sparks mix response from league’s coaches

Commissioner of the NBA, Adam Silver has sparked discussion following his controversial proposal which garnered wide attention from fans and analysts alike. Silver wants to shorten NBA quarters from 12 to 10 minutes to match the standard used worldwide. Following his bold proposal, coaches of the league have started giving their thoughts on the matter and their impression of the potential big change does not align with Silver’s vision. Here’s what you need to know about the proposal that sparked huge reactions in the NBA community.

NBA has one thing that does not align with the rest of the world and that is the 12-minute quarter format but it appears that the format which has been in practice for over seven decades, will change soon as Adam Silver shared his idea of reducing the 12-minute format to 10.
Some of the NBA coaches have shared their thoughts on the potential change coming to the league. Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla revealed that he does not have any concerning issues with the change. “I don’t care. Whatever you got to do. Just play the game,” the 36-year-old said after the Boston Celtics’ 122-100 win against the Chicago Bulls.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was leaning towards the traditional approach of the game. “I think we have a great game. I think what people really want to see is competition. When you study which transpired over time, there has always been different styles of play. So, the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, what goes into winning is the same. And, I think what fans really enjoy is great competition. I think if we focus on the competition aspect of it, everything else will fall into place,” Thibodeau told the press.
Further, Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone responded, “I give the league credit, because they’re always trying to find ways to keep the fans engaged. But I hope we don’t go to 10-minute quarters.” He added, “I hope we don’t put in a 4-point line. I hope we don’t become Barnum & Bailey, or do whatever we have to do to keep viewership. Because there is a history and greatness to this game. And a purity to this game and I hope we can find a way to stay true to that.”
Of course, the NBA viewership decline this season has been concerning, and the league has been looking at more potential options to claim more viewership in the long run.

Silver recently appeared on The Dan LeBatard Show, where he addressed a major difference between the NBA and other leagues worldwide. He pointed out that the NBA is the only league still using 12-minute quarters, while international competitions stick to 10-minute periods.
Certainly, Silver’s intention of expanding the NBA for global reach has been clear. Now, with his recent proposal to align with the global game and make broadcasts more viewer-friendly, Silver is considering shortening quarters to 10 minutes.
"I'm probably in the minority, but as we get more involved in global basketball, the NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes. I am a fan of four, 10-minute quarters. I'm not sure that many others are. Putting aside what it means for records and things like that, I think a two-hour format for the game is more consistent for the modern, television audience," Silver said.
He added, "People in the arenas aren't asking us to shorten the games. But as a television program, being two hours... Olympic basketball is two hours, college basketball is two hours... It's such a dramatic change to the game. I think something like that would have to be talked about more."
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Silver’s point of view on the league is understandable as the Commissioner is presumably on a mission to make the NBA accessible to the globe. However, the traditional approach that differentiated the league from the other basketball games, would not be there.