One topic of constant interest when it comes to NBA scheduling is the discussion about back-to-back games. Every team has to deal with them and some more than others. It’s not fair and it won’t ever be. People (hopefully) realize this, but still, it’s interesting to look where your team stands in terms of it.
Obviously, the back-to-back game is one of the toughest parts about your schedule. Depending on what happened just 24 hours earlier, your team could be absolutely gassed with jello for legs when they step on the hardwood again against another team. It’s just part of the deal and while NBA players are in incredible shape and condition (well, except for Eddy Curry), two games in 48 hours can be exhausting both physically and mentally.
Yesterday, Henry Abbott provided a detailed list of every team’s back-to-back situation. Oklahoma City was in the very bottom half with only 18 (only San Antonio and New Orleans have fewer). The most was the Bobcats with 23.
But there’s a little catch to the back-to-back game: They aren’t all equal. Sure, you’re going to be worn out after just playing a night before. Everybody has to go through this. But often times, the team you’re playing on the second night of a back-to-back is well rested and ready to go while you’re having to electroshock your legs into working. For instance, out of Oklahoma City’s 18 back-to-backs, only six of them have the Thunder playing a team that also played the night before. So for all you language arts kids, that’s 12 times (66 percent of the time) that OKC will be playing a rested team after playing the night before. Read more…
Commentary
2009-10 NBA Schedule
After two hours of analyzing, re-analyzing and overanalyzing Oklahoma City’s 2009-10 schedule, it’s clear that the Thunder have 41 home games and 41 road games. I definitely know that much. So it’s good to get that out of the way. Anyway, let’s break this baby down.
Toughest five game stretch
OKC’s schedule isn’t friendly to open up the season. There’s a bunch of toughies mixed in there and by the looks of it, the Thunder could realistically be staring at a 2-8 start. The five game run from Oct. 30-Nov. 8 of at home against Detroit, home against Portland, home against the Champs, on the road in Houston and home against Orlando looks to be the nastiest on there. Detroit and Houston aren very winnable games as both those rosters are in a bit of a transition, but they’ve still got good players. From March 22-30 OKC plays San Antonio, Houston, the Lakers, Portland and Philly, which is extremely tough in its own right, but four of those five are at home.
Easiest five game stretch
The fluff appears to come on the backside of OKC’s schedule, with a lot of non-playoff teams from 2008 on the docket in March and April. I like the stretch from March 5-14 with at the Clippers, at Sacto, home against New Orleans, home against the Nets and home against Utah. Three of the five at the Ford Center and just two playoff teams from 2008, with both of those games coming at home. April 4-11 has a decent five game go with home against Minny, Denver and Phoenix and road battles against Golden State and Utah. But Denver is in the class of the Western Conference and while the game is at home, Carmelo Anthony will almost certainly tear the hearts out of our chest Temple of Doom style anyway. Read more…
Commentary
2009-10 NBA Schedule
