We are in the final stretch of the 2021-22 NBA regular season, with every team having under 20 games left to play. With many teams actively vying for play-in and playoff spots, the strength of schedule for each team is going to be the difference-maker in deciding where they are seeded or if they even make it to post-season action.
The Portland Trail Blazers have the easiest remaining schedule in the entire league, with only three of their next 17 games being played against playoff quality opponents. Their toughest matchups will be against the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, and the Dallas Mavericks.
Joining Portland as teams with easy schedules are the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks. The Brooklyn Nets have the 4th easiest remaining schedule in the NBA, which will be massive for them as they try to play their way into a top-six seed in the East.
Nets have 17 games remaining (9 on National TV)
4th easiest schedule
Kyrie can play in *at least* 7
Simmons for 10-11 games?
Have to sweep the two against Charlotte
Crazy that it's come to this
— Doug Norrie (@DougNorrie) March 7, 2022
On the other end of the bracket, the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers. Eight of the remaining 17 Lakers games are against top seeds in both conferences. Marquee matchups would include two games against the Phoenix Suns (best record in the league) and the Denver Nuggets. They also have games against the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, and Dallas Mavericks.
The Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings round out the top five for the toughest remaining schedules alongside the Lakers. The Bulls and Bucks are in a very challenging Eastern Conference and wins to secure a strong seed for the playoffs are crucial. The Bulls will also be working injured stars like Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball, and Patrick Williams back into the team through the second-toughest remaining set of fixtures.
Bulls have hardest remaining schedule in East, per @bball_ref. Other teams in their area code:
MIL — 2nd-hardest
BOS — 3rd-hardest
TOR — 4th-hardest
MIA — 8th-hardest
PHI — 10th-hardest
CLE — 14th-hardest (or, 2nd-easiest) https://t.co/kA7YDECgoA
— Rob Schaefer (@rob_schaef) March 8, 2022
Full List (source: Tankathon):
- LA Lakers – 17 remaining games
- Chicago Bulls – 16 remaining games
- Milwaukee Bucks – 15 remaining games
- LA Clippers – 14 remaining games
- Sacramento Kings – 14 remaining games
- Boston Celtics – 15 remaining games
- Denver Nuggets – 16 remaining games
- Utah Jazz – 17 remaining games
- Minnesota Timberwolves – 15 remaining games
- Toronto Raptors – 17 remaining games
- Golden State Warriors – 16 remaining games
- Cleveland Cavaliers – 17 remaining games
- Phoenix Suns – 16 remaining games
- Detroit Pistons – 16 remaining games
- New York Knicks – 16 remaining games
- Indiana Pacers – 15 remaining games
- Philadelphia 76ers – 18 remaining games
- Charlotte Hornets – 15 remaining games
- San Antonio Spurs – 16 remaining games
- Memphis Grizzlies – 15 remaining games
- Houston Rockets – 16 remaining games
- Washington Wizards – 18 remaining games
- Oklahoma City Thunder – 15 remaining games
- Orlando Magic – 15 remaining games
- Miami Heat – 15 remaining games
- New Orleans Pelicans – 16 remaining games
- Brooklyn Nets – 16 remaining games
- Dallas Mavericks – 16 remaining games
- Atlanta Hawks – 17 remaining games
- Portland Trail Blazers – 17 remaining games
