What happens if a game is tied at the end of regulation?

In basketball, when a game is tied at the end of regulation, overtime periods are played to determine the winner. The purpose of overtime is to provide both teams with an additional opportunity to compete for the victory, allowing time for the teams to outscore each other after the standard game time has been exhausted. Each overtime period typically lasts a set duration, commonly five minutes, and is played under similar rules to regulation play.

In contrast, declaring a draw is not an option in basketball, as the objective is to always find a winner. Tiebreaking methods such as the team with the most fouls winning or a coin toss are not recognized practices in basketball, as they do not reflect the performance of the teams during the game. Therefore, overtime serves as the standardized method to resolve a tie score and emphasize the competitive nature of the sport.