Abstract: Starting off from the relation between time and athletics, and from the angle of time as a science, analysis is made of the importance of efficient use of basketball competition time. Further explored are the principles for better use of time in basketball matches and the detailed means for efficient use of basketball playing time are also presented: 1. sector scanning method; 2. contrastive method of playing time; 3. reductionist method of timing chain. It is concluded that the practical value of such methods finds their main application in the forming of tactics style and the treatment mode of winning play so as to maximize the value of taking full advantage of the playing time and enhance basketball competitive performance.