Every year, we hear complaining from various teams and fanbases about the unfairness of their given schedule. Some of those gripes are legitimate, and some are not. There will be easier schedules than others.
There is also an objective way to measure those claims.
Positive Residual, a sports analytics site, has an NBA schedule tracker that analyzes various schedule factors, including strength of schedule (using a combination of opponent strength, rest and altitude) and rest-advantaged games.
Through its tool, we can see which teams really do have the hardest and easiest schedules.
MORE: Ranking 10 best games on NBA calendar
NBA's easiest, hardest schedules in 2022-23
Based on Positive Residual's methodology, the Nuggets have the easiest schedule in the league, while the Spurs have the hardest.
Here's the full list:
- Nuggets
- Jazz
- Hawks
- Timberwolves
- Cavaliers
- Bucks
- Grizzlies
- Suns
- Celtics
- Clippers
- Raptors
- Heat
- 76ers
- Mavericks
- Lakers
- Pelicans
- Warriors
- Nets
- Hornets
- Bulls
- Trail Blazers
- Kings
- Wizards
- Pacers
- Knicks
- Pistons
- Magic
- Rockets
- Thunder
- Spurs
Teams with the easiest, hardest starts to the season
Every year, Ed Kupfer of the Houston Rockets tweets out various visualizations of the NBA schedule. One of the most useful ones is to see who should come out of the gate roaring hot.
The Wolves have the easiest start to the season, followed by the Clippers and Bucks. The Thunder have the toughest opening schedule.
NBA 2022-23 strength of schedule for each team, broken down into four time periods. Higher numbers = easier schedule. Teams at the bottom have the toughest schedules. pic.twitter.com/AA6Y1UWZLH
— Ed Küpfer (@EdKupfer) August 18, 2022
Teams with the most schedule wins in the NBA
There are plenty of games during the season in which a well-rested team faces an opponent on the end of a back-to-back. These are oftentimes thought of as schedule wins and losses. Positive Residual tracks them as well.
They are not distributed equally, and some teams have definite reasons to be unhappy. The Lakers got the most schedule wins on their plate, while the Hornets got the least.
- Lakers
- Hawks
- Raptors
- Kings
- Timberwolves
- Cavaliers
- Suns
- Thunder
- Nuggets
- Mavericks
- Jazz
- 76ers
- Magic
- Pelicans
- Bucks
- Grizzlies
- Pistons
- Wizards
- Clippers
- Rockets
- Nets
- Trail Blazers
- Warriors
- Bulls
- Celtics
- Heat
- Pacers
- Spurs
- Knicks
- Hornets
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Teams with the most schedule losses in the NBA
Conversely, there are plenty of times when a tired team has to face a well-rested opponent.
The Clippers have the most schedule losses, while the Suns have the fewest.
- Clippers
- Warriors
- Spurs
- Bulls
- Kings
- Thunder
- Timberwolves
- Pacers
- Nuggets
- Wizards
- Trail Blazers
- Knicks
- Pelicans
- Heat
- Mavericks
- Cavaliers
- Nets
- Jazz
- 76ers
- Hornets
- Celtics
- Hawks
- Magic
- Bucks
- Grizzlies
- Lakers
- Pistons
- Raptors
- Rockets
- Suns
Positive Residual's schedule tracker is an interesting way to look at schedules during the offseason, but it's even more useful toward the end of the season in the heat of playoff races because it continually updates.
Be sure to check back with the tool if your team is in the thick of seeding battles.
