Top 10 longest basketball games in history: Breaking down the multi-overtime thrillers

In professional basketball, if a game is tied after four quarters, it goes into overtime. This has led to many extremely long games that go far beyond the official playing time. In this article, BasketScores.com reviews the Top 10 longest basketball games in history.

Top 10 longest basketball games in history

This list is updated as of April 2026.

10. Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets - 2019 - 140-137

The game lasted nearly 3 hours and 30 minutes in real time, featuring 4 overtime periods. It finally ended when Rodney Hood made a crucial three-pointer with 18.6 seconds remaining, giving Portland a 138-136 lead before sealing a 140-137 victory. This win gave Portland a 2-1 lead in the series, and they later defeated Denver in Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 19 years.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Los Angeles Lakers - 1980 - 154-153

This game was an intense back-and-forth battle. After four quarters, the score was tied at 120-120. The drama continued through four overtime periods, with both teams trading narrow leads. In the end, the Cavaliers secured a one-point victory. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stood out with 42 points, carrying the Lakers’ offense throughout the game.

8. Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers - 1997 - 140-139

This was one of the most remarkable regular season games in history, lasting a total of 68 minutes of playing time. Twelve players logged over 40 minutes each. After the game, Suns coach Danny Ainge described it as feeling more like a “battle for survival” than a regular game. Ultimately, Phoenix won, with Jason Kidd delivering a triple-double of 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in 56 minutes.

7. Utah Jazz vs. Atlanta Hawks - 2012 - 106-102

This was the first NBA game to reach a fourth overtime period in 15 years, since 1997. The score was tied 98-98 at the end of regulation. The teams battled through three intense overtime periods without a winner. In the fourth overtime, Joe Johnson scored 8 points to help the Hawks secure victory.

6. Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls - 2015 - 147-144

This game lasted nearly four hours and was considered physically exhausting, with both teams constantly chasing the lead. In the fourth overtime, Detroit led by 7 points with just over a minute remaining, but Chicago fought back. The game was only decided when Jimmy Butler’s final three-point attempt missed. It was also the first game since 1996 in which four different players scored at least 30 points.

5. Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks - 2017 - 142-139

In this extremely intense matchup, players from both teams delivered key performances to extend the game multiple times. Due to the long duration, both sides faced roster issues because of foul-outs. For the Knicks, four players fouled out: Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Joakim Noah, and Kyle O'Quinn. For the Hawks, Dwight Howard and Kent Bazemore also left early for the same reason. In the end, the Hawks claimed a narrow win.

4. Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks - 2019 - 168-161

This game featured a standout performance from rookie Trae Young, who recorded 49 points and 16 assists, becoming the first rookie in a long time to reach at least 45 points and 10 assists in a single game. The game went into overtime after Trae Young’s late score gave the Hawks the lead, but Otto Porter Jr. tied it from the free-throw line. In the fourth overtime, Chicago made a decisive scoring run to win the game. It remains the highest-scoring games in NBA history.

3. Syracuse Nationals vs. Anderson Packers - 1949 - 125-123

This rare game took place in the early days of the NBA, shortly after the merger of the BAA and NBL. It remains one of the few games to go into five overtime periods. Notably, this game occurred before the introduction of the 24-second shot clock in 1954, when teams often held the ball to waste time. Despite that, the teams combined for nearly 250 points over five overtimes, showing remarkable offensive intensity.

2. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Seattle SuperSonics - 1989 - 155-154

Another five-overtime game occurred in 1989. Due to fouls and fatigue, bench players had to step up in the later stages. Through four overtime periods, neither team could pull away. In the fifth overtime, Tony Brown scored the decisive basket for the Bucks, securing a narrow victory.

1. Indianapolis Olympians vs. Rochester Royals - 1951 - 75-73

This is the only game in history to reach six overtime periods, yet the total score was only 148 points. This was because the 24-second shot clock had not yet been introduced. In overtime, teams often held the ball until the final seconds before shooting. In fact, during the second and fourth overtime periods, neither team scored at all. Across six overtime periods (30 extra minutes), only 18 points were scored. The game ended when Ralph Beard scored the winning point with just one second remaining, giving Indianapolis a 75-73 victory.

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