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NBA Schedule/Log

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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

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