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Celtics-Nets To Play Shortened 44-Minute Game On Sunday

BOSTON (CBS) -- We regret to inform you, but you'll have four less minutes of Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell this Sunday on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

The good news: You'll have four less minutes of preseason basketball.

The NBA announced Tuesday that it would test a 44-minute game — shortening each quarter by one minute — during Sunday's preseason game between the Nets and Boston Celtics in Brooklyn. The experiment is a way for the league to look into various ways to shorten the length of games.

"At our recent coaches' meeting, we had a discussion about the length of our games, and it was suggested that we consider experimenting with a shorter format," NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn said in a statement.

The trial came with the blessing of the competition committee, and Thorn said the shorter game would give the league "some preliminary data that will help us to further analyze game-time lengths."

Both Celtics head coach Brad Stevens and Nets head coach Lionel Hollins said their teams were happy to deviate from the standard 48-minute game -- at least for one night.

In addition to 11-minute quarters, Sunday's game will have only two mandatory timeouts in the second and fourth quarters, down from three in a typical game.

You can hear Sunday's preseason tilt on 98.5 The Sports Hub -- the flagship station of the Boston Celtics. Pregame coverage will begin at 3 p.m. with tip-off shortly after.

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