Injuries are a constant problem in the NBA that are impossible to completely avoid. They have derailed great players' progress and often hinders teams from achieving their true potential in the league.
In the past few years, teams and players have voiced out their concerns that their very demanding playing schedule has left them with little to no time to recover between games. The NBA has obviously paid attention to its players' worries and came up with a good news this upcoming season.
Ben Golliver of the Sports Illustrated explained some details of the 2018-19 schedule, including the fact that the upcoming season will have the fewest amount of back-to-back games ever.
2018-19 NBA schedule
– Fewest back-to-backs ever
– 13.3 B-to-B per team in 2019 (14.4 in 2018 & 19.3 in 2015)
– No team w/ more than 15 B-to-B
– Like last year, no 4-games-in-5-nights
– Less than 1 instance of 5-games-in-7 nights per team
– No 8-games-in-12 nights for first time— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 10, 2018
In previous years, teams often rested key players during games to cope up with their back-to-back games. This ignited anger and frustration among fans, as sometimes they did not get to see their favorite players strut their stuff because of teams opting to rest their superstars. The public clamor eventually reached the attention of the NBA administration, and after a couple of years of deliberating, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came up with a decision.
Sources: In proposal, Silver has discretion to fine teams for resting multiple players in single game, or healthy ones in national TV games.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 15, 2017
To help counteract these potential issues, the NBA has made it a point to continually decrease the amount of back-to-back games on its schedule.
Here's a look at the reduction in back-to-backs & rest-advantage games over the last 5 years. pic.twitter.com/q7WfISIIof
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) August 10, 2018
As evident in this breakdown, the league has gradually reduced back-to-back games to give more time for players to rest.
The Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards have the most back-to-backs with 15 apiece. The Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors have the least with 12 apiece.
& here's the # of back-to-backs (& games vs. opp. playing 2nd game of a b2b) & rest advantage games for every team this season. pic.twitter.com/TGDSOuVEIt
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) August 10, 2018
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