Analysis of 2022-23 schedule reveals a softer path for Cavs: Easier opponents
In our piece earlier this week about what to watch for in the schedule release, we discussed that each NBA team’s schedule has a built-in inequality, playing four conference opponents just three times and the others four times each. A team that gets to play rebuilding teams four times and avoid contenders that one game per season can gain an advantage.
The Cavs didn’t necessarily get the largest advantage in this area, but things fell favorably for them, especially if Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving play for the Brooklyn Nets this season. The four teams they will play only three times next season are the Brooklyn Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks.
That’s three playoff teams from last season, and a fourth team that is at least desperately trying not to be bad next season. They get the Orlando Magic four times, as well as the Charlotte Hornets, likely the two worst teams outside of their division. On the flip side, both the 76ers and the Nets could be title contenders and they will avoid that extra game against them.
The Cavs already get to play four games against the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, two teams expected to finish at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. That means four games each against the three worst teams in the East and six of the bottom seven non-Cavs teams in project win totals according to our sister-site Betsided.