NBA news: Back-to-backs, 5 games in 7 nights both reduced to all-time lows in schedule

According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, back-to-backs and five games in seven nights have been reduced to all-time lows in the 2019-20 schedule.

The NBA has positioned itself as perhaps the country’s lone major professional sports league in which players wield as much power and influence as owners and officials. While most recent headlines indicative of that reality fall under the umbrella of players using their public platforms to effect change in social justice, the league office has also made a concerted effort in recent years to protect the health of its players, a goal its addressing in far more ways than one.

In the wake of the NBA implementing new rules regarding mental health, the league unveiled the regular-season schedule on Monday, a slate that includes fewer back-to-backs and five-game weeks than ever before. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, games being played on consecutive nights reached a new low for the fifth consecutive season, the biggest highlight of a schedule that places increasing emphasis on player health.

Other NBA schedule facts: Back-to-backs are at a historic low — for fifth straight season (teams will average 12.4 this season, down from 13.3 last season.) Five games in seven nights also have been reduced 9.5 percent. https://t.co/jCx8b4ZPEK

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 12, 2019

A sizable subset of fans might be more interested in the fact that the NBA has moved up most of its nationally-televised double-headers to better accommodate east-coasters. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, 22 of this season’s 36 double-headers on ESPN and 12 of the 31 double-headers on TNT have been moved up to start at 7:30 and 10:00 p.m. EST or 7:00 and 9:30 p.m. EST rather than 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. EST.

Sources: Earlier times for national TV doubleheaders this season: 22 of ESPN’s 36 doubleheaders and 12 of TNT’s 31 doubleheaders to start at 7:30/10 PM ET or 7/9:30 PM ET instead of 8/10:30 PM.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 12, 2019

Opening night is on October 22, when Zion Williamson and the revamped New Orleans Pelicans visit the Toronto Raptors for ring night, followed by the first edition of the battle for LA, as the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers tangle at Staples Center.