The NBA might want to pre-emptively apologize now, while this season is still fresh, for any longer wait times at the restrooms during halftime or slower lines at concession stands.

The opportunity to get a head start on the concourse a few seconds before each half or quarter break might be significantly curtailed thanks to a 2025-26 rule change. The league has altered how it tracks and allocates those desperation shots in the dwindling seconds of each period, in hopes of getting more of them that matter.

A logical consequence is that fans will stay in their seats longer, right to the final horn or buzzer, lest they miss a memorable, miracle fling, a highlight of the night and potentially the turning point of the game.

“It’s about wanting to make every moment of the game competitive,” s

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