Our survey of weekend back-to-backs has moved through the Eastern Conference. Today, we begin the Western Conference with a look at the not-so-accurately-named Northwest Division. It’s not “Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers in the old NFC West” bad, but it’s still bad, with Minnesota and Oklahoma City — those two noted Northwestern locales — accompanying Portland, Utah and Denver.
Here we go:
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WEEKEND BACK-TO-BACKS: NORTHWEST DIVISION
DENVER NUGGETS
Saturday, Dec. 26: at SAS, 8:30 Eastern
Sunday, Dec. 27: at OKC, 7
Verdict: poorly handled
Saturday, Jan. 2 at GSW, 10:30 Eastern
Sunday, Jan. 3 vs. POR, 9
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Feb. 7: at NY, 1 Eastern
Monday, Feb. 8: at BKN
Verdict: properly handled
Sunday, March 27: at LAC, 3:30 Eastern
Monday, March 28: vs. DAL, 9
Verdict: properly handled
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MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Sunday, Dec. 20: at BKN, 1 Eastern
Monday, Dec. 21: at BOS
Verdict: properly handled
Saturday, Feb. 27: at NOP, 7 Eastern
Sunday, Feb. 28: at DAL, 7
Verdict: poorly handled
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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Sunday, Nov. 1: vs. DEN, 7 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 2: at HOU
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Nov. 15: vs. BOS, 7 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 16: at MEM
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Nov. 22: vs. DAL, 7 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 23: at UTAH
Verdict: poorly handled
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PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Sunday, Nov. 8: vs. DET, 9 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 9: at DEN
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Nov. 15: at CHA, 5 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 16: at SAS
Verdict: properly handled
Sunday, Dec. 20: at MIA, 1 Eastern
Monday, Dec. 21: at ATL
Verdict: properly handled
Saturday, Dec. 26: vs. CLE, 10 Eastern
Sunday, Dec. 27: at SAC, 9
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Jan. 3: at DEN, 9 Eastern
Sunday, Jan. 4: vs. MEM
Verdict: poorly handled
Saturday, Feb. 27: vs. HOU, 10 Eastern
Sunday, Feb. 28: at IND, 6
Verdict: poorly handled
Saturday, April 2: vs. MIA, 10 Eastern
Sunday, April 3: at GSW, 8
Verdict: poorly handled
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UTAH JAZZ
Sunday, Dec. 13: at OKC, 7 Eastern
Monday, Dec. 14: at SAS
Verdict: poorly handled
Saturday, Jan. 9: vs. MIA, 9 Eastern
Sunday, Jan. 10: at LAL, 9:30
Verdict: poorly handled
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Sunday, March 13: at SAC, 6 Eastern
Monday, March 14: vs. CLE
Verdict: properly handled
SPECIAL NOTE: This is the one instance in which a tip time that is technically a “late” Sunday start, for purposes of this study, is actually more than acceptable. We have used the parameter of “6 p.m. Eastern or later” to distinguish a night game from a day game, since it is a relatively common practice for many NBA teams to schedule Sunday home games at 6 p.m. local time.
In the process of surveying the whole of the NBA schedule, we found that the 6 p.m. Eastern start in Sacramento — 3 p.m. local time — was the one start time which crossed boundaries. In terms of Eastern time, it’s not early, but in terms of Pacific (and local) time in Sacramento, it’s more than reasonable.
Now, back to Utah’s weekend back-to-backs:
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Saturday, March 19: at CHI, 8 Eastern
Sunday, March 20: at MIL, 7
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, April 10: at DEN, 5 Eastern
Monday, April 11: vs. DAL
Verdict: properly handled
