NBA Schedule/Log

BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK GAmES 2011–2012
Because of the lockout, the NBA schedule-makers have
jammed 66 games in 124 days. This has necessitated the
back-to-back-to-back scheduling situation, which is not
normally a feature of the NBA schedule. Playing games on consecutive
days is hard enough but playing three games in three days must
be debilitating. The NBA has saddled every team with at least one
of these this season. The first comes over the first three days of the
season, as the LA Lakers face the Bulls on the 25th, the Kings on
the 26th and the Jazz on the 27th. In all three games, the Lakers
will vs facing a team that is playing their first game of the season.
A complete listing of the number of times each team either is
playing their third game in three days or facing an opponent that is
playing their third game in three days is presented in the table below
and a complete team-by-team listing is given on the facing page.
# of Back-to-Back-to-Back Games 2011-12
Team Playing Hosting differential
ATL 2 2 0
BOS 1 0 -1
CBC 1 1 0
CHI 1 3 +2
CLE 1 2 +1
DAL 1 2 +1
DEN 2 0 -2
DET 2 2 0
GST 1 3 +2
HOU 1 0 -1
IND 2 2 0
LAC 2 1 -1
LAL 1 0 -1
MEM 1 0 -1
MIA 1 0 -1
MIL 1 3 +2
MIN 2 2 0
NJN 2 4 +2
NOR 1 1 0
NYK 1 2 +1
OKC 1 1 0
ORL 1 1 0
PHI 2 1 -1
PHO 2 1 -1
POR 2 1 -1
SAC 1 2 +1
SAS 2 2 0
TOR 1 0 -1
UTH 1 2 +1
WAS 2 1 -1
14 | KillerSports.com
Looking down the first column we see that the league has been
very fair as every team in the league only has one or two threegames-in-three-days
sequences this season. The parity, however,
does not carry over to the second column. Here we find that there
are seven teams that do not get a single opponent who is playing
their third game in three days.
On the other end of the rankings, we find the New Jersey Nets,
who get four opponents that are playing their third game in three
days. This has to help the Nets’ cause.
The Bucks, Warriors and Bulls each get three opponents this
season who are playing their third game in three days.
The Difference column shows that the highest positive differential
is plus two, shared by the Bulls, Warriors, Bucks and Nets.
On the unfortunate end, we find the Nuggets, the only team in
the league with a minus-two in this category.
It is interesting to investigate the site of these games. For example,
how many of the 42 three-games-in-three-days this season are all
on the road? Are there any that are all at home and hence involve
no travel? Are there some that all involve travel, as an away-homeaway
sequence would?
Answering these questions is easy with the Sports Data Query
Language (SDQL). The SDQL text: rest+p:rest=0 and H and
season=2011 will generate a listing of all the 3-in-3 games that
are being played at home this season. The game listing reveals that
20 of the 42 “3-in-3” sets this season end at home. The complete
distribution of the site sequences is given below:
AAA 10
HAA 1
AHA 5
AAH 4
AHH 3
HAH 16
HHA 3
HHH 0
The lion’s share of the games are either the HAH sequence or
the AAA sequence and there are no HHH sequences.
Another thing to investigate is the opponent’s rest. It turns
out that is 18 of the 42 third-game-in-three days, the opponent is
unrested as well, thus evening the match-up somewhat.
Finally, we can investigate the number of games in which BOTH
teams are playing their third game in three days. There is one such
game all season. On March 24, the Pacers and Bucks face each
other in Milwaukee. Both teams played on the previous two days.
AND we didn’t even investigate the MIDDLE game of the 3-in-
3 set. Perhaps that is where all the value lies. Maybe the UNDER
will be the play in the middle game. Pay attention.
The handicappers who are the first to uncover the manner in
which teams perform in these unusual scheduling situations will
have a big advantage over the linesmakers.
Play Smart. Play Informed. Use the SDQL to investigate these
scheduling situations.