There’s no better or deeper division in the NBA than the Southwest, although the Central at least deserves a place in the conversation. (If the Pacers can join the Bulls, Cavs and Bucks in the playoff parade, that discussion will intensify next spring.)
Our survey of weekend back-to-backs has revealed so many fascinating differences between and among teams, both within and beyond divisions. That coexistence of wildly varying schedule components remains in evidence in our study of the Southwest Division. Why is it that some teams get saddled with a lot of weekend back-to-backs, many of them poorly handled, while others receive hardly any weekend back-to-backs?
Here’s our breakdown of the toughest division in the NBA:
go:
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WEEKEND BACK-TO-BACKS: SOUTHWEST DIVISION
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Sunday, Dec. 6: at WASH, 6 Eastern
Monday, Dec. 7: at NY
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Jan. 17 at SAS, 7 Eastern
Monday, Jan. 18 vs. BOS
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Jan. 31: vs. PHX, 7 Eastern
Monday, Feb. 1: at ATL
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, March 6: at DEN, 5 Eastern
Monday, March 7: vs. LAC
Verdict: properly handled
Sunday, March 27: at SAC, 6 Eastern
Monday, March 28: at DEN
Verdict: properly handled
NOTE: See the explanation attached to a Utah Jazz weekend back-to-back on March 13 and 14 to understand why this is a properly handled back-to-back. The short answer: The 6 p.m. Eastern start time isn’t generally a wise tip-off time in most cases, but for Sacramento, it’s more than fair to visiting teams that are starting a Sunday-Monday back-to-back.
Sunday, April 10: at LAC, 3:30 Eastern
Monday, April 11: at UTAH
Verdict: properly handled
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HOUSTON ROCKETS
Sunday, Nov. 1: at MIA, 6 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 2: vs. OKC
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Nov. 29: at NY, 7:30 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 30: at DET
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, Jan. 17: at LAL, 9:30 Eastern
Monday, Jan. 18: at LAC
Verdict: poorly handled, but not as bad as most poorly-handled back-to-backs.
NOTE: The simple reason this weekend back-to-back with a late tip time for the front end is not as bad as others? The back end of the back-to-back is in the same building (Staples Center). If this required any travel for the Rockets, it would be worse, and on par with other poorly-handled back-to-backs on the schedule.
Sunday, Jan. 24: vs. DAL, 3:30 Eastern
Monday, Jan. 25: at NOP
Verdict: properly handled
Saturday, March 5: at CHI, 8:30 Eastern
Sunday, March 6: at TOR, 6:30
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, April 10: vs. LAL, 3:30 Eastern
Monday, April 11: at MIN
Verdict: properly handled
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MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Sunday, Nov. 15: at MIN, 3:30 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 16: vs. OKC
Verdict: properly handled
Sunday, Dec. 13: at MIA, 6 Eastern
Monday, Dec. 14: vs. WASH
Verdict: poorly handled
Saturday, Dec. 26: at CHA, 7 Eastern
Sunday, Dec. 27: vs. LAL, 6
Verdict: poorly handled
Sunday, March 6: vs. PHX, 4 Eastern
Monday, March 7: at CLE
Verdict: properly handled
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NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
The Pelicans are the only team in the league with zero weekend back-to-backs this season. New Orleans and (as you’ll see below) San Antonio highlight the imbalances that exist within and beyond divisions in the NBA on the matter of weekend back-to-backs.
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SAN ANTONIO SPURS
The Spurs are the only team with one weekend back-to-back this season, and it comes the first weekend of the season:
Sunday, Nov. 1: at BOS, 3:30 Eastern
Monday, Nov. 2: at NY
Verdict: properly handled
