Reducing the number of back-to-back games and four games in five days that NBA teams play was high on Commissioner Adam Silver’s agenda.
Without extending the season by a week at the start or a week at the end, Silver made a dent in those numbers in an effort to reduce fatigue, wear and tear, including injuries, and increase the level of competition. A win for players, officials and spectators. The Commissioner should take a bow, the numbers speak volumes.
- Back-to-backs have been reduced to 17.8 per team for 2015-16, down from 19.3 last season, and no team has more than 20 back-to-backs this season.
- Long-distance back-to-backs have been trimmed from 111 last season to 85 this season; back-to-backs that cross a time zone have also been cut from 194 last season to 160 this season.
- Four games in five days have been reduced to .9 per team for 2015-16, down from 2.3 per team last season.
- The NBA reduced the number of miles traveled per team by 2%.“I think this is the best schedule that we’ve ever produced,” NBA senior vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe told USA TODAY Sports. “We are extremely mindful of player rest, recuperation and we were able to reduce four games in five nights and back-to-backs to all-time lows. …“We want to be mindful of putting the best product on the floor that we possibly can. The rigors of an NBA season are tough. Nobody denies that.”
Christmas day schedule: New Orleans at Miami (ESPN), Chicago at Oklahoma City (ABC), Cleveland at Golden State (ABC), San Antonio at Houston (ESPN) and Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN).
Noteworthy season openers: New Orleans at Golden State; Cleveland at Chicago; New York at Milwaukee; Dallas at Phoenix; San Antonio at Oklahoma City; and Denver at Houston.
Bring on 2015/16
2015/16 NBA Championship Winner
Saturday 25/06/2016| USA
4:00 AMWin Cleveland Cavaliers San Antonio Spurs Golden State Warriors Los Angeles Clippers Oklahoma City Thunder Chicago Bulls Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies Miami Heat Atlanta Hawks New Orleans Pelicans Washington Wizards Indiana Pacers Toronto Raptors Dallas Mavericks Milwaukee Bucks Utah Jazz Boston Celtics Brooklyn Nets Charlotte Hornets Detroit Pistons Los Angeles Lakers Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers Denver Nuggets Minnesota Timberwolves New York Knicks Orlando Magic Sacramento Kings Philadelphia 76ers
