“Shortest game time” differs by definition: 48 minutes nominal vs. real elapsed time with timeouts, reviews, and halftime.

History has seen rare stoppages, cancellations, or postponements from power outages, equipment failures, HVAC issues, or venue incidents, and extreme cases where injuries/foul-outs forced unusual endings.

Modern NBA buffers disruptions via schedule redundancy, venue contingency plans, and a centralized replay center.

For fan experience, the league tweaks sideline inbounds pace, coach challenge limits, and TV timeout cadence to keep rhythm tight.

Ultimately, the topic reflects a pro league’s pursuit of stability, predictability, and broadcast quality.