NEW YORK, Aug. 15 — The NBA today announced timeout rule modifications that are designed to quicken the pace of play late in games. Changes were also made to the rules regarding the resetting of the shot clock after jump balls and clear-path-to-the-basket fouls.

The modifications, which were recommended by the NBA Competition Committee, were approved by the NBA Board of Governors and will be implemented for the 2000-01 season.

"We have been concerned about the length of time it can take to play the last few minutes of a close game," said Stu Jackson, NBA senior vice president of basketball operations, "and we think the changes that were adopted will improve the pace of play at the end of our games. We were very pleased with the results achieved with the substantial changes made last season, and we believe the fine-tuning this year will help the overall flow of the game, making it more enjoyable for the fans."

Here is a summary of the rule modifications:

Maximum number of timeouts per team per game
New rule: six. (Old rule: seven)

Maximum number of fourth-period timeouts per team
New rule: three. (Old rule: four)

Maximum number of timeouts per team during the last two minutes of the fourth period or last two minutes of an overtime period: New rule: two. (Old rule: three)

Length of timeouts
New rule: Full timeouts in regulation and overtime will be reduced from 100 to 60 seconds with the following exceptions: (1) The first two timeouts in each period, regardless of which team calls them; and (2) The two mandatory timeouts in the second and fourth periods. In those two instances, timeouts will continue to be 100 seconds. (Old rule: All full timeouts were 100 seconds.)

Substitutions during 20-second timeouts
New rule: Unlimited substitutions. (Old rule: The team calling the timeout could substitute one player. The other team could substitute only if the team calling timeout substituted.)

Advancing the ball to midcourt
New rule: After a change of possession in the last two minutes of regulation or any overtime period, the offensive team can call a regular or 20-second timeout and advance the ball to midcourt. The team has the option of inbounding the ball in the frontcourt or backcourt. If it passes into the backcourt, the 10-second rule applies. (Old rule: Teams could advance the ball only by calling a regular timeout and had to inbound the ball into the frontcourt.)

Mandatory timeouts
New rule: If neither team has taken a timeout in the second and fourth quarter when there is 8:59 remaining, there will be a mandatory timeout after the first dead ball. If neither team has taken a timeout in all four periods when there is 5:59 remaining, there will be a mandatory timeout after the first dead ball. (Old rule: timeouts were taken after dead balls after 9:59 in the second and fourth periods and after 6:59 in every period.)

Resetting the shot clock after a jump ball
New Rule: If the offense retains possession after a jump ball, the clock is reset to 14 seconds or remains the same if there are more than 14 seconds on the clock. If the defense gains possession, the clock is reset to 24 seconds. (Old rule: If the offense retained possession, the clock was reset to 24 seconds.)

Clear-path-to-the-basket fouls
New rule: If a player is fouled when he has a clear-path-to-the-basket, he gets one free throw and his team gets possession of the ball at midcourt. (Old rule: The player received two free throws.)