NBA Rule Changes Reportedly Include Fewer Timeouts, Earlier Trade Deadline

BOSTON (CBS) -- If you love to watch basketball but can't stand that the final minutes of a game feel more like an hour, you'll be happy with the NBA's new rule changes.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, teams will have four fewer timeouts per game to work with next season, as voted on by the NBA's Board of Governors.

The NBA also addressed all that stoppage of play in the final minutes of a contest, limiting teams to just two timeouts in the final three minutes of a game. Previously, teams were allowed three timeouts over the final two minutes of a game.

While both new rules should help speed the game up, especially in the final minutes, they also come with their own set of questions. Coaches will have to deal with these new wrinkles throughout the early parts of a contest, and even more so at the end of the game with one less timeout over the final minutes.

Are we going to lose out on a few of those crafty after timeout plays from Celtics head coach Brad Stevens now? Perhaps, as that will be part of how the coaches adapt to the new rules.

Much, much more importantly, are there going to be less T-Shirt tosses in those empty seconds before the deciding moments of a game? The horror. But it will all be worth it in the end, especially if college basketball sees what the pros are doing and decide to adopt similar rules.

In addition to the timeout rules voted on Wednesday, The Vertical's Shams Charania is also reporting that the NBA's Board of Governors have voted to move up the league's trade deadline to the second Thursday in February, prior to the All-Star break. This will give teams a few off days and practices with any new players acquired at the deadline, a luxury they did not have when the deadline came after the league's annual exhibition.

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