The NBA released its 2016-17 schedule on Thursday, and the Oklahoma City Thunder lucked out with the fewest back-to-back games in the league this year. The Thunder will play just 13 back-to-backs this season, and the Atlanta Hawks will play the most with 19.
NBA schedule: Oklahoma City Thunder have the fewest back-to-backs
The NBA’s continued efforts to increase rest were evident when team schedules were released on Thursday.
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Harrison Faigen has been covering the NBA (primarily the Lakers) since 2013, and is currently the Associate Director of Pro Basketball coverage for SB Nation.
No team will play four games in five nights more than one time this season, part of the NBA’s ongoing mandate under commissioner Adam Silver to increase rest throughout the year to reduce the wear and tear on NBA players. Last year NBA teams played in four games in five nights 27 times total, down from 70 instances the year before. This year, that total has dropped to 21 times, with nine teams not playing such a difficult stretch even once.
Total back-to-backs have also fallen. Last year NBA teams played an average of 17.8 back-to-backs, compared to 16.3 this year.
Here is a list of each team’s total number of back-to-backs and instances of four games in five nights.
| Back-to-Backs | Four games, five nights | |
| Atlanta Hawks | 19 | 1 |
| Boston Celtics | 17 | 1 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 14 | 0 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 16 | 1 |
| Chicago Bulls | 15 | 1 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 17 | 0 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 15 | 1 |
| Denver Nuggets | 16 | 1 |
| Detroit Pistons | 17 | 1 |
| Golden State Warriors | 17 | 1 |
| Houston Rockets | 16 | 1 |
| Indiana Pacers | 17 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 18 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 16 | 1 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 17 | 1 |
| Miami Heat | 15 | 1 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 18 | 0 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 14 | 0 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 17 | 0 |
| New York Knicks | 14 | 1 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 13 | 1 |
| Orlando Magic | 15 | 1 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 17 | 1 |
| Phoenix Suns | 14 | 0 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 15 | 1 |
| Sacramento Kings | 18 | 0 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 15 | 1 |
| Toronto Raptors | 17 | 0 |
| Utah Jazz | 17 | 1 |
| Washington Wizards | 16 | 1 |
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