Most NBA overtimes: Which NBA game has had the most overtimes in regular season and playoffs?

Today’s Game 6 faceoff between the Raptors and Celtics was a double-OT battle. Which are the longest games in NBA history? Read on to find out.

An overtime period is added to the 48 regulation minutes when both teams are tied at the end of the 4 quarters. This process continues if the teams are tied at the end of the overtime periods as well, till such time as when a leader emerges at the end of each 5-minute overtime period.

Most NBA Overtimes: Regular season and playoffs

On 6th January 1951, in a game played in front of a 3800 strong crowd, the Indianapolis Olympians beat hosts Rochester Royals over the course of a 6-overtime game!

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The score at the end of the titanic battle was a paltry 75-73, as Ralph Beard sank a breakaway shot with one second left in the sixth overtime period last night to give the Indianapolis Olympians the win.

According to an NBA.com report, made baskets were more than doubled by the number of free throws awarded that day (75 free throws to 34 field goals). This game beat the previous record set by the Syracuse Nationals vs the Anderson Packers, which went to 5 overtimes and finished at a score of 125-123.

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The most overtime periods played in an NBA playoff game is 4. This is a record jointly held by two contests spaced 65 years apart. The first of these is a win by the Boston Celtics over the Syracuse Nationals in 1954. The score at the end of that game was 111-105.

The other playoff game sharing the same length was the contest between the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals last year. That game finished 140-137 in favour of the Blazers, who were the away team.