Lakers get dealt favorable hand with back-to-backs on 2022-23 schedule
By Jason Reed
Back-to-backs are extremely difficult for NBA teams and more so difficult for a team like the Los Angeles Lakers. While the Lakers have gotten rid of most of the age on the roster, they still have a 37-year-old leading the charge as well as an elite power forward who is a bit injury prone.
The fewer back-to-backs and the more rest the Lakers can get the better. While Los Angeles still has to play every single team in the NBA in the regular season, this can be the difference between making the playoffs or being relegated to the play-in.
That is why Lakers fans should be happy with the team’s schedule as the NBA was certainly favoring LA with how often they have to play back-to-backs. Los Angeles is tied for the fewest back-to-backs in the league as well as being tied with the Atlanta Hawks in rest advantage.
The Lakers are tied for the fewest back to backs and the most rest advantage games (Atlanta).
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) August 17, 2022
This is key if LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to stay healthy and productive. If the team was at the other end of the spectrum then it would have been a huge issue considering the potential concerns of those on the roster.
How many back-to-backs do the Los Angeles Lakers have in 2022-23?
The Los Angeles Lakers have 12 back-to-backs (24 total games) during the 2022-23 season. Four of those 12 back-to-backs do not include any travel. Here is a list of the 12 back-to-backs that the Los Angeles Lakers have during the 2022-23 season:
- November 6-7: vs. Cleveland, at Utah
- November 25-26: at San Antonio, at San Antonio
- December 6-7: at Cleveland, at Toronto
- December 18-19: vs. Washington, at Phoenix
- December 27-28: at Orlando, at Miami
- January 6-7: at Atlanta, vs. San Antonio
- January 15-16: vs. Philadelphia, vs. Houston
- January 24-25: vs. Los Angeles, vs. San Antonio
- January 30-31: at Brooklyn, at New York
- March 14-15: at New Orleans, at Houston
- April 4-5: at Utah, at Los Angeles
In terms of travel, Los Angeles does not have many back-to-backs that are overtly difficult. Atlanta to San Antonio and the two LA-Utah back-to-backs are the only ones that would require more than an hour or so plane ride.
What is really interesting about how the back-to-backs panned out is that every single time the Lakers play the Spurs this season it will be part of a back-to-back. That is actually beneficial for the Lakers are the Spurs are going to be one of the worst teams in the league next season. Having four of the 24 back-to-back games against them is a blessing.
In fact, add Utah, Houston, Orlando and Washington to the list of bad teams that LA plays in back-to-backs next season. That adds another six games, meaning that half of the team’s 24 back-to-back games are games in which the Lakers should win.
Not only does LA have great rest advantage, but they drew a nice hand when it comes to who they are playing in back-to-backs as well.