Why are we playing Philly on back-to-backs twice?

[Valid]

This aggravated me so much that I actually wanted to start a topic about it.

The second time we lost to Philly, it was coming off a back-to-back (we also didn't have Marcus Smart), and was CLEARLY a schedule loss. Had we night played the night before, I have no question we would have won that game.

Well, this week, we play Philly again, and, once again, it is on the second night of a back-to-back while Philly gets two days of rest in between.

Oh, and both times, we had to travel in between.

Absolute horse crap.

Is this business as usual for the NBA? I can't seem to remember ever playing a division rival on the second night of a back-to-back TWICE in the same season.

[CelticsPoetry]

"tin foil hat on*
Newsflash, the league doesn't like to see the Celtics succeed, it's not a good a storyline as Lebron and Davis leading the Lakers to a title or The Greek Freak winning another MVP and the title. We dont have players that are well liked among the general fandom and we play a style of game that is not as attractive as the Dubs or LA and Milwaukee. We usually dont have players posting eye popping stat lines, just getting the job done, grind it out, play solid defense, keep fighting. We also dont win by big margins most of the time. And it's been like for a long time, that is, being disliked by the league. Just look at the disrespect our players are getting from the refs, Kemba gets hacked so many times, but gets little calls.

[mobilija]

I’m not worried about it. Let Philly think they have an edge on us. The playoffs are always a different animal. Can’t wait to flip the script when the games truly matter!

[greg683x]

we play Milwaukee on a 2nd night of a back to back the next week as well.

its annoying but would make a victory that much more satisfying

[Jiri Welsch]

Even if the Celtics play Philly on back-to-backs, they still need to show up and compete.

If they go 1-3 or 0-4 against Philly for the season, I see that as a reflection on the Celtics and not the schedule.

[GreenFaith1819]

Does seem at times like there's some under-current going on behind the scenes...

Would LOVE to have been a fly on the wall in the office with the schedule makers............

It is along the same lines as to LeBron James and Luka Doncic....have started to lately wonder why Luka is seemingly playing in the NBA AEW (opposing players are beating the SNOT out of Luka) while opposing players cannot seemingly SNEEZE at LeBron without getting called for a foul.

And LeBron is BUILT for taking punishment....lot stronger physically than Luka.

I'm not saying that LeBron should be the recipient of Flagrants every game but it does seem as if Luka is getting pounded on while LeBron James is being treated differently.

Some things make you go

[Moranis]

Boston and Philadelphia are geographically close together.  Every team has a bunch of back to backs with travel.  Just easier when they are closer together. 

[GreenFaith1819]

Boston and Philadelphia are geographically close together.  Every team has a bunch of back to backs with travel.  Just easier when they are closer together.

Without breaking out my map and doing analysis of the mileage between cities I'd be willing to bet that BOS is close to several NBA teams distance-wise but yet we're not playing on back-backs against them.

[CelticsPoetry]

Boston and Philadelphia are geographically close together.  Every team has a bunch of back to backs with travel.  Just easier when they are closer together.

Without breaking out my map and doing analysis of the mileage between cities I'd be willing to bet that BOS is close to several NBA teams distance-wise but yet we're not playing on back-backs against them.

Knicks, Nets and Wizards come to mind

[Ogaju]

How many back to backs do the Lakers and Clippers have? Do they not play in the same arena?

[Phantom255x]

At first I honestly thought we had a pretty easy January schedule all things considered. However, when I did a closer look, I realized we had a bunch of back-to-backs this month, which includes games against the Sixers and Bucks. It is annoying, but we just have to deal with it.

[Billz401]

This is just the same old song and dance with the schedule makers. We are constantly playing back to backs with travel while our opponents are in the hotel waiting for us for 2 nights. Why not schedule a home back to back instead of a travel back to back?

Then again this is the same league that 2 years ago extended the regular season by 3 weeks to "decrease back to backs and load management situations" and then went on to schedule like 16 back to backs in the 1st 3 days of the season..

[CelticsPoetry]

This is just the same old song and dance with the schedule makers. We are constantly playing back to backs with travel while our opponents are in the hotel waiting for us for 2 nights. Why not schedule a home back to back instead of a travel back to back?

Then again this is the same league that 2 years ago extended the regular season by 3 weeks to "decrease back to backs and load management situations" and then went on to schedule like 16 back to backs in the 1st 3 days of the season..

That was exactly what I was thinking, it makes no sense. We have something like 33 games in 42 or 45 days now, but had a random 6 day stretch with no games in December

[Sophomore]

Even if the Celtics play Philly on back-to-backs, they still need to show up and compete.

If they go 1-3 or 0-4 against Philly for the season, I see that as a reflection on the Celtics and not the schedule.

I get why the players should have that as their mindset; they have to play the hand they’re given. But for fans or the front office, it’s pretty hard to believe the schedule doesn’t make things harder.

And fwiw, it’s not *just* the second game in a btb. It’s also their fifth game in seven nights, and they’ll fly four nights over the week. Basketball is a physical game, and that takes a toll.

[Sophomore]

Here’s an analysis of b2bs across the league. Net, Boston’s about average, maybe a little harder than that - very close in raw numbers to LAL and the Clips. Milwaukee and Philly do seem to have a relatively soft b2b schedule tho. Who really got shafted is Toronto - 13 b2bs, and a league-worst 11 road b2bs.

https://www.nbastuffer.com/2019-2020-nba-schedule-rest-days-analysis/

The analysis does not try to factor in team difficulty.