C's have 2nd easiest strength of schedule, Lakers/nets 3rd/7th most difficult

[CelticsElite]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JADubin5/status/897246661122064386

 


This should stop the people who think the fakers are making the playoffs. They don't understand the west is loaded

[GreenShooter]

I don't think anyone could have made a decent enough argument that the LAL will be one of 8 to make the playoffs. As you said, the West is stacked and there are maybe 2 teams worse than the Lakers, but none decidedly worse.

[Ilikesports17]

Top 2 reasons we have such an easy schedule

1. We are in the East
2. We don't have to play the Celtics

[CelticsElite]

Top 2 reasons we have such an easy schedule

1. We are in the East
2. We don't have to play the Celtics

lol exactly

[Boris Badenov]

Top 2 reasons we have such an easy schedule

1. We are in the East
2. We don't have to play the Celtics

3. The Nets and Sixers are in our division.

But I think your point, if I understand it, is right. This is mostly about division/conference placement. It's not like the NFL, where some teams play a set of opponents (outside the division) who can be very good or very bad based on the whims of the schedule-setting process.

[saltlover]

Top 2 reasons we have such an easy schedule

1. We are in the East
2. We don't have to play the Celtics

3. The Nets and Sixers are in our division.

But I think your point, if I understand it, is right. This is mostly about division/conference placement. It's not like the NFL, where some teams play a set of opponents (outside the division) who can be very good or very bad based on the whims of the schedule-setting process.

Yeah.  I like when ESPN (whom I will mostly criticize) includes home/away and rest as strength of schedule factors.  Otherwise it's largely a function of conference and division.

[The One]

I don't understand how the Nets have the 7th most difficult.

[Ilikesports17]

Top 2 reasons we have such an easy schedule

1. We are in the East
2. We don't have to play the Celtics

3. The Nets and Sixers are in our division.

But I think your point, if I understand it, is right. This is mostly about division/conference placement. It's not like the NFL, where some teams play a set of opponents (outside the division) who can be very good or very bad based on the whims of the schedule-setting process.

Yeah that's more or less what I am saying, but the NFL schedule is designed by a strict formula too.

6 games in your division.
4 games against a rotating division in the other conference.
4 games against a rotating division in your conference
2 games against the teams in the remaining 2 divisions within your conference who finished the same place within their division as you.

doesnt contradict anything you said, but I learned this fairly recently and found it rather interesting.

[jbpats]

This is all sort of dumb. Strength of schedule makes sense in the NFL, NBA? Not so much. Schedules only vary slightly from team to team.

[action781]

Top 2 reasons we have such an easy schedule

1. We are in the East
2. We don't have to play the Celtics

Similarly, Lakers and Nets are difficult because they don't get to play against themself.

[diconzo]

Noticed that all of our games against CLE/GSW/SAS are before the all star break.

March 3rd @ Houston & April 10th @ Washington appear to be the most difficult games after the break. Not a bad way to end the season

[bdm860]

This is all sort of dumb. Strength of schedule makes sense in the NFL, NBA? Not so much. Schedules only vary slightly from team to team.

And this is all based on last year's records too.  But that's probably okay, it's not like the league has changed that much outside of Minnesota, Chicago, OKC, Indiana, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Utah, Denver...

Actually, I think Strength of Schedule does make sense for the NBA when you factor in things like current rankings, travel, rest days, back-to-backs, etc. Unfortunately this analysis attempted to do none of that. 

SOS could be even better if you add in more dynamic things like lineup (are key players playing), current winning/losing streak, is your opponent coming off a triple overtime game the night before, etc, but then this becomes more of a backward looking metric.

[liam]

The Celtics are also traveling the 3rd most miles during the season. Look where Cleveland is.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/team-travels-most-miles-nba-124420788.html

[SparzWizard]

Top 2 reasons we have such an easy schedule

1. We are in the East
2. We don't have to play the Celtics

3. The Nets and Sixers are in our division.

But I think your point, if I understand it, is right. This is mostly about division/conference placement. It's not like the NFL, where some teams play a set of opponents (outside the division) who can be very good or very bad based on the whims of the schedule-setting process.

Yeah that's more or less what I am saying, but the NFL schedule is designed by a strict formula too.

6 games in your division.
4 games against a rotating division in the other conference.
4 games against a rotating division in your conference
2 games against the teams in the remaining 2 divisions within your conference who finished the same place within their division as you.

doesnt contradict anything you said, but I learned this fairly recently and found it rather interesting.

And if you're the New England Patriots, you pretty much get 6 free wins on top of playing the NFC South this year (who used to be the worst division in football 2 seasons ago), and the sloppy Texans.

[CelticsJG]

The Celtics are also traveling the 3rd most miles during the season. Look where Cleveland is.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/team-travels-most-miles-nba-124420788.html

That because of London game.