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2011–2012 BACK-TO-BACK ROAD GAmES (CONTINUED)<br />
# of Back-to-Back Road Games 2011-12<br />
Team Playing Hosting Differential<br />
ATL 4 7 +3<br />
BOS 7 2 -5<br />
CBC 5 7 +2<br />
CHI 6 4 -2<br />
CLE 3 3 0<br />
DAL 8 7 -1<br />
DEN 5 7 +2<br />
DET 6 4 -2<br />
GSW 9 7 -2<br />
HOU 8 7 -1<br />
IND 2 7 +5<br />
LAC 8 6 -2<br />
LAL 8 6 -2<br />
MEM 5 5 0<br />
MIA 7 2 -5<br />
MIL 5 7 +2<br />
MIN 9 9 0<br />
NJN 4 9 +5<br />
NOR 6 8 +2<br />
NYK 6 10 +4<br />
OKC 4 5 +1<br />
ORL 6 8 +2<br />
PHI 4 2 -2<br />
PHO 7 9 +2<br />
POR 7 7 0<br />
SAC 9 5 -4<br />
SAN 10 4 -6<br />
TOR 8 6 -2<br />
UTH 7 11 +4<br />
WAS 5 7 +2<br />
Looking down the first column we see that the Spurs are the only<br />
team this season to play double-digit back-to-back road games. It is<br />
relevant to note that are one of the teams that is likely to be adversely<br />
affected by playing two road games in two days. The Kings, Timberwolves<br />
and Warriors each have nine with the Raptors, Clippers,<br />
Rockets and Mavericks with eight each. On the other end of the<br />
list, we find that the Indiana Pacers only play TWO back-to-back<br />
road games this season. The Cavaliers are right behind with three<br />
and they are followed by the Hawks, Nets, Thunder and 76ers, who<br />
each have four back-to-back road games this season.<br />
The o:B2B column gives the number of times a team is scheduled<br />
to host an opponent that is playing the second of back-to-back<br />
road games in 2011-12. Obviously, the higher the number in this<br />
column, the more favorable a team’s schedule. Here we see that<br />
Utah Jazz host eleven teams this season that played on the road the<br />
previous day. This is tops in the league. They are followed by the<br />
NY Knicks, who get ten opponents that are playing their second<br />
road game in as many days. Teams with eight scheduled opponents<br />
who are playing the second of back-to-back road games include the<br />
Nets, Suns and Timberwolves. So, not only do the Timberwolves<br />
host a lot of back-to-back road games, they will play a lot of backto-back<br />
road games this season.<br />
The unlucky teams are those that host a relatively small number<br />
of teams playing their second road game in as many days. The 76ers,<br />
Celtics and Heat only get two teams all season that played on the<br />
road the previous day. Next we have the Cavs with three and they<br />
are followed by the Bulls, Pistons and Spurs, each with only four.<br />
The final, right-most column in the table is the difference<br />
between the number of times a team hosts the second of B2B road<br />
games and the number of times a team plays B2B road games.<br />
Clearly, a team with a high positive number has a scheduling advantage<br />
and a team with a large negative number has a scheduling<br />
disadvantage.<br />
The two teams with the highest differential are the Pacers and<br />
Nets, each with a differential of plus-five. The Pacers host seven<br />
B2B road games but pay only two and the Nets host nine B2B road<br />
games, but play only four. The Knicks and the Jazz are close behind<br />
with a differential of plus-four.<br />
The team with the worst B2B differential this season is the Spurs<br />
at minus-six. They play ten back-to-back road games, but host only<br />
four. They are following by the Heat and Celtics, both of whom<br />
only get two opponents playing a B2B road games while playing<br />
seven B2B’ers themselves.<br />
These numbers only tell part of the story. Another factor to<br />
consider is the level of the opponent a team gets in the second of<br />
back-to-back road games. When good teams host poor teams playing<br />
the second of back-to-back road games the straight up result of<br />
the game is unlikely to be different—the good team was going to<br />
win the game anyway. The most effective positive B2B differential<br />
includes many games where the fact that the team is hosting the<br />
second of back-to-back road games is likely to turn a loss into a<br />
win. For example, on 1/24 the Pacers host the Magic. Indiana has<br />
a days rest and the Magic played in Boston the previous night. The<br />
fact that Orlando is playing the second of back-to-back road games<br />
may give the Pacers the edge they need to score a straight up victory.<br />
See the article on the next two pages for a complete listing of<br />
all back-to-back road games this season.<br />
Play Smart. Play Informed. Investigate Back-to-Back road games<br />
at KillerSports.com.<br />
2011–2012 <strong>NBA</strong> <strong>Schedule</strong> <strong>Log</strong> | 7