The 2015-2016 NBA schedule is out, and you’ll get plenty of analysis in the coming days here at Crossover Chronicles. We have time and space to tackle topics one at a time, so don’t worry about various issues. If an article doesn’t include it, be assured it’s just around the corner.
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What’s the three-game lottery, you ask?
It’s the reality attached to the release of every NBA schedule in modern times. Teams play 30 non-conference games and 52 conference games to arrive at 82. Of the 52 conference games, 16 are played in one’s division (4 versus each divisional opponent) and 36 beyond it (18 games against each of the other two divisions in one’s conference).
Playing 18 games against a five-team division leads to the following breakdown of games: four against three of the five teams in the division (12 total), and three games against two of the five teams (6, for the grand total of 18). Team Y, in a given conference, will play 10 fellow conference teams four times (40), and four teams three times (12) to get 52 conference games.
It is always a point of interest to see which teams play only three games against each other. You want to get three-game schedules against the stronger teams in your conference, four-game slates against the weaker sides.
Here, then, without further ado, is the breakdown of “three-game lottery” in the 2015-2016 NBA schedule:
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3-GAME LOTTERY:
THE FOUR OPPONENTS EACH TEAM PLAYS 3 TIMES THIS SEASON
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTA: Brooklyn, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Philadelphia.
BOSTON: Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Miami.
BROOKLYN: Atlanta, Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington.
CHARLOTTE: Boston, Detroit, Indiana, Toronto.
CHICAGO: Boston, Brooklyn, Orlando, Washington.
CLEVELAND: Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Toronto.
DETROIT: Charlotte, New York, Orlando, Toronto.
INDIANA: Charlotte, New York, Philadelphia, Washington.
MIAMI: Boston, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Philadelphia.
MILWAUKEE: Atlanta, Brooklyn, Miami, Philadelphia.
NEW YORK: Detroit, Indiana, Orlando, Washington.
ORLANDO: Chicago, Detroit, New York, Toronto.
PHILADELPHIA: Atlanta, Indiana, Miami, Milwaukee.
TORONTO: Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando.
WASHINGTON: Brooklyn, Chicago, Indiana, New York.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
DALLAS: LAL (Lakers), Phoenix, Portland, Utah.
DENVER: Houston, LAC (Clippers), New Orleans, Sacramento.
GOLDEN STATE: Houston, Minnesota, New Orleans, Oklahoma City.
HOUSTON: Denver, Golden State, Minnesota, Phoenix.
LAC: Denver, Memphis, San Antonio, Utah.
LAL: Dallas, Minnesota, New Orleans, Portland.
MEMPHIS: LAC, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, Utah.
MINNESOTA: Golden State, Houston, LAL, San Antonio.
NEW ORLEANS: Denver, Golden State, LAL, Oklahoma City.
OKLAHOMA CITY: Golden State, Memphis, New Orleans, Phoenix.
PHOENIX: Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma City, Portland.
PORTLAND: Dallas, LAL, Phoenix, San Antonio.
SACRAMENTO: Denver, Memphis, San Antonio, Utah.
SAN ANTONIO: LAC, Minnesota, Portland, Sacramento.
UTAH: Dallas, LAC, Memphis, Sacramento.
