How many games are in the NBA season? Looking at the history of the 82-game schedule

By now all NBA fans have gotten accustomed to the 82-game schedule and the debates surrounding it. Most critics of the format object that the season is too long, the workload is too hard on players, and it is the reason we see so much load management. 

Some of that may be true but the NBA has stuck to its 82-game schedule nevertheless. Rather than reducing the number of games players have to play to battle load management, the league established a minimum number of games played to qualify for awards. After all, the 82-game schedule has been around for quite some time. 

When did the NBA first implement an 82-game schedule? 

The first time NBA teams played 82 games in a season was in 1967-68. Before that, teams played between 68 and 80 games in a season. In the 1961-62 season it was still 80 games, but by the 1966-67 season, the NBA raised the number of games to 81. When the Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics started playing, another game was added, leading to the 82-game schedule we still know today. 

There have been a few exceptions since then, like the 2011-12 season that was shortened due to a lockout and the 2019-20 season that was derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Recently, the only change made to the regular season schedule has been the NBA Cup. Due to the NBA Cup, two games will be added to the schedule later and the two teams advancing to the final game will have to play an extra game. 

What is the case for shortening the NBA season? 

As mentioned before, many blame the long NBA season for load management and more frequent injuries. 82 games is a lot even for a professional athlete, especially if a team goes on a deep playoff run. After all, the 82 games only make up the regular season and not the playoffs. The playoffs are the prime time of the NBA season and a shorter schedule could ensure that more players are available for the big games. 

Plus, the 82 games take up a lot of time, stretching from October to April. At certain points in the season, games just aren’t as exciting as they should be. A shorter season could also remedy that. 

Still, it seems unlikely that the NBA will shorten the regular season any time soon. After all, the league and teams make a lot of money from TV deals and ticket sales and the league already implemented other measures to get stars to play as much as possible.

How does the 82-game schedule impact the Orlando Magic

As one of the younger teams in the league, the Magic are not as impacted by the 82-game schedule as some of the other teams with aging stars or older players with injury histories. The Magic’s stars were incredibly healthy last season.

Still, players feel the long season. Paolo Banchero looked gassed trying to keep his team afloat in the playoffs after already carrying the Magic over 80 regular season games. Players like Jonathan Isaac and Wendell Carter Jr., who have been dealing with injuries their entire careers, would certainly benefit from a shorter season.