10 significant rule differences between NBA and Olympics basketball and it's ramifications

#7 Timeouts

Players can’t call timeouts

The NBA allows for some fun moments when a player is on the floor desperately hanging on to the ball and trying to gesture for a timeout simultaneously while the opponents try to stomp him and/or mangle his limbs cheerfully. There have been cases when players calmly dribble the ball upcourt and fake calling a timeout, lull the opponents to sleep, and cruise in for a layup.

It’s different, man. It’s a little bit of getting used to and I think we’re doing a good job as a team and try to keep working. Harrison Barnes on playing with FIBA rules

The NBA offers teams six full timeouts to use in a game, along with a 20-second timeout for each half. If a game goes into overtime, teams have three more 60-second timeouts at their disposal. The 20-second timeout from the second half can carry over to overtime.

In international play, all timeouts are of a consistent length of one minute each. Teams have two timeouts available in the first half, and three in the second. In overtime, teams get just one extra timeout to use. Timeouts are not carried over in international play.

Ramifications:

International play eliminates that potential hilarity. Here, only the team coach can call a timeout. And he doesn't have to invade the court to do so either. The coach has to approach the scorer's table to call a timeout.