Here’s everything we know about the 2015-16 NBA schedule.
While there were a few leaks and rumors leading up to the release, the 2015-16 schedule was mostly a mystery prior to Wednesday. The entire 82-game slate is now out and is highlighted with a number of great prime time and Christmas Day matchups. It will all begin on October 27 when both the defending champion Golden State Warriors and the NBA runner up Cleveland Cavaliers will be in action.
There will be a total of 143 national TV games, split across ABC, ESPN and TNT. The stars will be on display during those contests, led by LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The Cavs and Warriors are each scheduled to play 25 national TV games. The Clippers and Thunder are right behind with 24 games in the national spotlight. National audiences will have a harder time watching the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers. The three are not scheduled to play any national TV games.
Here are some of the highlights of the schedule as well as a rundown of all the full team schedules. All times Eastern.
8 p.m. Pistons vs. Hawks
8 p.m. Bulls vs. Cavaliers
10:30 p.m. Warriors vs. Pelicans
Complete look at the opening week schedule.
12 p.m. Pelicans vs. Heat
2:30 p.m. Bulls vs. Thunder
5 p.m. Cavaliers vs. Warriors
8 p.m. Spurs vs. Rockets
10:30 p.m. Lakers vs. Clippers
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 25
- Golden State Warriors: 25
- Los Angeles Clippers: 24
- Oklahoma City Thunder: 24
- Chicago Bulls: 23
- San Antonio Spurs: 21
- Houston Rockets: 19
- Los Angeles Lakers: 19
- New Orleans Pelicans: 13
- Miami Heat: 11
- Memphis Grizzlies: 10
- Atlanta Hawks: 8
- Boston Celtics: 7
- Indiana Pacers: 7
- Dallas Mavericks: 7
- New York Knicks: 7
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 5
- Phoenix Suns: 5
- Portland Trail Blazers: 5
- Washington Wizards: 5
- Milwaukee Bucks: 4
- Sacramento Kings: 4
- Utah Jazz: 3
- Toronto Raptors: 2
- Brooklyn Nets: 1
- Charlotte Hornets: 1
- Orlando Magic: 1
- Denver Nuggets: 0
- Detroit Pistons: 0
- Philadelphia 76ers: 0
Back-to-back games and stretches of four games in five nights can be brutal for teams and even wear them down. There is a bit of schedule luck involved and this year the Suns and Timberwolves caught it. Both have just 14 back-to-backs. The Pistons, Warriors, Rockets, Clippers and Bucks weren’t as fortunate and will play back-to-back games 20 times this season.
| Back to backs | 4 games, 5 nights | |
| Atlanta | 19 | 2 |
| Boston | 19 | 1 |
| Brooklyn | 15 | 1 |
| Charlotte | 16 | 0 |
| Chicago | 17 | 1 |
| Cleveland | 19 | 1 |
| Dallas | 17 | 1 |
| Denver | 16 | 2 |
| Detroit | 20 | 0 |
| Golden State | 20 | 0 |
| Houston | 20 | 0 |
| Indiana | 17 | 0 |
| LA Clippers | 20 | 1 |
| LA Lakers | 18 | 1 |
| Memphis | 18 | 0 |
| Miami | 17 | 1 |
| Milwaukee | 20 | 1 |
| Minnesota | 14 | 2 |
| New Orleans | 17 | 1 |
| New York | 17 | 0 |
| Oklahoma City | 16 | 1 |
| Orlando | 19 | 1 |
| Philadelphia | 19 | 2 |
| Phoenix | 14 | 1 |
| Portland | 19 | 2 |
| Sacramento | 19 | 1 |
| San Antonio | 17 | 0 |
| Toronto | 17 | 1 |
| Utah | 18 | 1 |
| Washington | 19 | 1 |
Team-by-team schedule
