Elam Ending

E34401

The Elam Ending is an alternative basketball format that eliminates the game clock near the end and sets a target score to determine the winner, designed to reduce intentional fouling and create more exciting finishes.

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form As subject As object
Elam Ending format 0 1

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf alternative basketball rule
basketball game format
adoptedBy NBA for the 2020 All-Star Game
alsoKnownAs Elam Rule
associatedWithEvent The Basketball Tournament championship games
category basketball rules innovations
criticisms can be confusing to new viewers
designedBy Nick Elam, a basketball fan and educator
determinesWinnerBy first team to reach target score
eliminates game clock near the end of the game
firstImplementedYear 2017 in The Basketball Tournament
firstMajorAdoptionBy The Basketball Tournament
gameFlowEffect promotes continuous play at the end of games
reduces late-game stoppages
governingBodyExperiments FIBA
implementationDetail clock is turned off at a pre-set time or whistle
target score is announced to teams and spectators
influenced late-game format of NBA All-Star Game
introducedToPublicBy Nick Elam
keyFeature every game ends on a made basket or final scoring play
no team can win on free throws from intentional fouls alone is encouraged
removes incentive for leading team to stall to run out the clock
removes incentive for trailing team to foul repeatedly
mediaCoverageBy ESPN
NBA media outlets
namedAfter Nick Elam
phaseOfGameApplied late-game period
purpose create more exciting game finishes
discourage stalling late in games
reduce intentional fouling
ruleType end-of-game format
scoringOutcome final score is typically higher than traditional format
sport basketball
status considered for broader adoption in some leagues and competitions
not used in regular-season NBA games as of 2024
supportersClaim produces more natural basketball at the end of games
reduces randomness from intentional fouling strategies
targetScoreDefinition leading team’s score plus a fixed number of points
typicalTargetIncrement 8 points in many implementations
usedIn FIBA competitions on a trial basis
NBA All-Star Game
NBA All-Star Weekend
surface form: NBA All-Star Weekend events

The Basketball Tournament
surface form: The Basketball Tournament (TBT)

various professional and amateur leagues
uses target score
winCondition team that first reaches target score wins regardless of time

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

this entity surface form: Elam Ending format
Team LeBron formatUsed Elam Ending