OKC Thunder: comparing the second-half schedule to opponents
Central Division Breakdown:
Bulls:
While some clubs got seven and eight-game homestands this season the longest for the Bulls is five games which occur at the start of the second-half schedule. Their strength of schedule is .510 ranking as the seventh hardest.
Total Games: 37
Road vs. Home: 19 – 18
East – West: 26 – 11
Longest homestand: 5 games
Longest road trip: 4-games on two occasions with one home game separating them
Rest Advantage/Disadvantage: 6 – 5
Back-To-Back Games: 9
Miles Traveled: 19,766
Cavaliers:
Oddly, the Cavaliers who traveled the seventh-fewest miles in the front half of the schedule are in the lower side of travels in the second half ranking sixth.
The Cavs are one of three teams that have10 rest advantage games and their .487 strength of schedule is the ninth easiest.
Total Games: 36
Road vs. Home: 19 – 17
East – West: 22 – 14
Longest homestand: 5 games
Longest road trip: 4 games
Rest Advantage/Disadvantage: 10 – 7
Back-To-Back Games: 9
Miles Traveled: 17,768
Pistons:
Detroit has the third easiest strength (.463) of schedule in the second half with the second-fewest miles to travel.
Total Games: 36
Road vs. Home: 16 – 20
East – West: 20 – 16
Longest homestand: 4-games on two occasions
Longest road trip: 5-game stint
Rest Advantage/Disadvantage: 9 – 6
Back-To-Back Games: 8
Miles Traveled: 15,891
Pacers:
After receiving 10 rest advantage dates in the front half of the schedule the Pacers get just three in the second half.
They travel the eighth-most, have the second most back-to-back sets, and along with two other teams play the most games with a rest disadvantage. This results in a .499 strength of schedule.
Total Games: 37
Road vs. Home: 19 – 18
East – West: 21 – 16
Longest homestand: three separate 3-game stints
Longest road trip: 3 games on two occasions
Rest Advantage/Disadvantage: 3 – 9
Back-To-Back Games: 10
Miles Traveled: 22,063
Bucks:
Milwaukee finished with the best record in the NBA the last two seasons and earned Giannis Antetokounmpo back-to-back MVP awards. This season they are trying to make tweaks and as they near the break rank seventh in the association.
The schedule however points to some red flags. Milwaukee was one of the teams with the most home games in the first half and subsequently traveled the eighth fewest miles. Moreover, they played the second-most games with a rest advantage and second-fewest back-to-back sets.
The thinking was the back end of the schedule would even the scale but that’s not the case. Oddly, they receive another seven rest advantage games and travel the fifth-fewest miles garnering a .493 strength of schedule which ranks 13th easiest. Sure doesn’t seem like the schedule makers dealt all teams an even hand.
Total Games: 36
Road vs. Home: 19-17
East – West: 23 – 13
Longest homestand: 5 games
Longest road trip: 6 games
Rest Advantage/Disadvantage: 7 – 7
Back-To-Back Games: 9
Miles Traveled: 17,070