The duration of a professional basketball contest in the National Basketball Association is governed by specific rules. A regulation game is structured into four quarters, each lasting 12 minutes. Therefore, the total scheduled playing time amounts to 48 minutes.
The actual elapsed time for a contest typically extends significantly beyond this allotted time. This is due to numerous stoppages, including timeouts requested by teams, fouls committed by players, and the halftime intermission. Halftime provides a more extended break, allowing teams to strategize and refresh.