The shortest NBA game in history happened on November 9, 1982 between the Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons. The game ended after just 49 minutes of play with Denver winning by a score of 81-68. This was the result of an incredible defensive effort by both teams, as the Pistons only managed to shoot 25% from the field. This made it the first time in NBA history that a team had won a game shooting under 30% from the field. It was also the first time since 1954 that a team won without scoring more than 80 points.
The game started off slowly, with both teams struggling to score. The first quarter ended with the Nuggets leading by a score of 22-17. The next two quarters would be similar, with Denver increasing their lead gradually but never able to put Detroit away completely.
The fourth quarter was particularly defensive-minded, as both teams focused on preventing easy baskets rather than scoring themselves. This had the effect of slowing down the pace of the game, and by the end of it Denver had extended their lead to 13 points.
This was enough for the win, but still not enough for Denver to reach 80 points – they finished with an 81-68 victory and set a new record for lowest point total in a winning effort in NBA history. This record still stands today as one of the shortest games ever played in the league’s history.
