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Now that the All-Star break is over and teams around the NBA are gearing up for their respective stretch runs, the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards have their work cut out for them.
Those three teams in descending order have the three most difficult schedules for the remainder of the season, per Basketball-Reference.
That doesn't mean much for the Suns, who sit dead last in the Western Conference with an 18-41 record. That team's season is done and whether or not the schedule is easy or difficult does not make a difference.
But it definitely matters for the Wizards and the Spurs. San Antonio is currently third in the West, but only four games in the loss column ahead of the 10th-place Utah Jazz. Meanwhile, only four games separate the Wizards from the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington is currently fourth in the conference.
Strength of schedule matters for teams on the bubble of a playoff spot. It could be the difference between home-court advantage in the first round or not. And for the Spurs, it's the difference between making the playoffs or the lottery.
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Four games does not sound like much. But it's becoming increasingly likely that Kawhi Leonard does not come back this season, which puts the Spurs in a tough spot. Furthermore, the Wizards are still without John Wall.
The good news is the Spurs have been playing without Leonard for the majority of the season. They should be fine at least until the playoffs start. The Wizards need Wall, but have survived so far without him.
But in order for these teams to get where they want to go, they'll need to find a way through the schedule and not move too much in the standings.
The Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers round out the top five most difficult schedules for the rest of the year heading into the playoffs.
