SOS vs schedule timing

[julius]

We kept hearing about how the Blazers SOS wasn't strong to start the season, and how to some that meant more than it did to others. Right now, I'm not sure what it is now, but that's not my point.

Here is an interesting point I just read on espn.com

This marked the first of four road games in a five-game stretch for Portland. The Elias Sports Bureau noted that the Trail Blazers actually have three stretches of four road games in five days. The only other team with more than one such stretch is the Phoenix Suns.

The Blazers have played and seem to historically play a lot of, 3 in 4 night stretches of NBA basketball. I know the story is they're far away from other teams, but that's BS. They were 180 miles from Seattle, and played them 4 (and sometimes 6, depending on how long ago you're talking about) times a season. Proximity to NBA teams should mean you play MORE 3 in 4 nights, not less. It's easier for NY to play Boston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn or WDC than it is Portland playing 3 in 4 nights almost anywhere.

I understand that arena commitments play a part, especially if you share it with an NHL team but how many NBA teams share their arena with an NHL team?

If anything, the fact that the team isn't terribly close to others should mean they get MORE time between games to make up for it. I think there are certain teams that get far more favorable schedules (like how OKC has fewer 4 and 5 game trips this year. In fact, iirc, they have only 1 4 game trip and 0 5 game trips).

I realize I'm not saying anything that hasn't been discussed before.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yeah, I noticed that in the "analysis" piece on ESPN last night and saw it as interesting as well. Not having examined our schedule, I would assume that our 4-in-5 stretches are all on east coast road trips; don't other west-coast teams have to make those same trips? Isn't traveling to Philly, Boston, NY, etc just as out of the way and inconvenient for the Lakers and Warriors as it is for us? Why exactly are the schedule makers able to avoid such trips for the California teams, but can't do the same for us?

 

[magnifier661]

That's some straight up bullshit. We've played so many b2b as well

 

[Nhawz]

When your shooting the three ball at a 40% clip, who needs breaks? Shit lets start double headers! Were in rhythm babay!