The final stretch of the 2021-22 NBA season begins.
With the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend wrapped up, players and franchises will be looking to prepare themselves - mentally and physically - for the 46-day stretch between now and the end of the regular season.
For a look at the NBA standings across conferences over the course of the first half of the season, click here.
NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)
Which teams have the toughest remaining schedules after NBA All-Star break?
Following the All-Star break, the defending champions have the hardest remaining schedule according to Tankathon, which combines the winning percentage of each team's remaining opponents to determine their strength of schedule.
Note: Tankathon doesn't account for the number of home and away games or the difficulty that comes with it.
Milwaukee ends the season with an incredibly difficult stretch, playing only six of its final 17 games at home. That stretch includes matchups against some of the best teams in the league like Phoenix, Chicago, Golden State and Miami.
Next up are the Bulls, who are tied for the best record in the East at the break. Chicago plays 12 of its first 17 games after the break on the road.
In fact, over the second half of March, the Bulls play just one home game with road fixtures in Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Cleveland, New York and Washington D.C.
| Team | Strength of schedule | Games left | Toughest opponents |
| Bucks | .554 | 22 | Suns (1), Warriors (1), Grizzlies (1), Heat (1), Bulls (3) |
| Bulls | .543 | 23 | Suns (1), Grizzlies (1), Heat (2), Jazz (1), 76ers (1) |
| Lakers | .538 | 24 | Suns (2), Warriors (2), Jazz (1), 76ers (1), Cavs (1) |
| Knicks | .529 | 23 | Suns (1), Grizzlies (1), Heat (2), Bulls (1), Jazz (1) |
| Jazz | .517 | 24 | Suns (2), Warriors (1), Grizzlies (1), Bulls (1), Bucks (1) |
| Timberwolves | .516 | 23 | Suns (1), Warriors (1), Grizzlies (1), Heat (1), Bulls (1) |
| Warriors | .513 | 23 | Suns (1), Grizzlies (1), Heat (1), Jazz (1), Bucks (1) |
| Pelicans | .510 | 23 | Suns (2), Warriors (1), Grizzlies (2), Bulls (1), Jazz (1) |
| Kings | .505 | 22 | Suns (2), Warriors (1), Heat (1), Bulls (1), Jazz (1) |
| Celtics | .503 | 22 | Warriors (1), Grizzlies (2), Heat (1), Bulls (1), Jazz (1) |
The Lakers, who have the third-hardest remaining schedule, play 18 of their remaining 24 fixtures against teams with the same or better record than theirs. In addition, they end the season playing only four of the final 14 games at home.
If that's isn't pressure enough, currently sitting at ninth with a 27-31 record, the Lakers will have plenty of national spotlight on them as they feature either on ESPN/ABC, TNT or NBA TV in 14 of their remaining games.
What are the easiest remaining schedules after NBA All-Star break?
Many of the teams with the easiest remaining schedule are contending for a spot in the Play-In tournament, including the Pacers, Trail Blazers, Wizards and Hawks.
The Pacers, owners of the fifth-worst record in the league, play four of their first five games after the break against three (Magic x 2, Pistons, Thunder) of the four teams that have a record worse than theirs.
On the other end of the standings, Phoenix - owners of the best record in the league - have the sixth-easiest remaining schedule.
| Team | Strength of schedule | Games left | Toughest opponents |
| Pacers | .456 | 22 | Magic (2), Pistons (2), Rockets (1), Thunder (1), Kings (1) |
| Trail Blazers | .458 | 23 | Pistons (1), Rockets (2), Thunder (2), Pacers (1), Spurs (3) |
| Grizzlies | .470 | 22 | Magic (1), Rockets (2), Thunder (1), Pacers (2), Spurs (2) |
| Wizards | .472 | 24 | Magic (1), Pistons (2), Rockets (1), Pacers (1), Spurs (1) |
| Hawks | .483 | 24 | Pistons (2), Rockets (1), Thunder (1), Pacers (2), Pelicans (1) |
| Suns | .486 | 24 | Magic (1), Rockets (1), Thunder (2), Kings (2), Pelicans (2) |
| Raptors | .486 | 25 | Magic (2), Pistons (1), Rockets (1), Pacers (1), Spurs (1) |
| Nuggets | .487 | 24 | Rockets (1), Thunder (2), Pacers (1), Kings (3), Spurs (1) |
| Cavaliers | .487 | 24 | Magic (2), Pistons (2), Pacers (1), Knicks (1), Wizards (1) |
| Magic | .488 | 22 | Pistons (1), Rockets (1), Thunder (2), Pacers (2), Kings (1) |
This should help the Suns maintain their lead at the top given Chris Paul's recent right thumb injury which could keep him out of action for anywhere between six to eight weeks.
