The 2025-26 NBA regular-season schedule includes an average of 14.4 back-to-back sets per team, according to figures released on Friday.
Five clubs top the chart with 16 back-to-backs apiece: the Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards. At the other end, six teams will face the minimum of 13 back-to-backs: the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder. The remaining 19 franchises fall in between, scheduled for either 14 or 15 sets played on consecutive nights.
The league has trimmed back-to-backs significantly since the mid-2010s, but the total has inched up since regular-season lengths were reduced from 177 to 174 days beginning in 2021-22. Teams averaged 12.4 back-to-backs in 2019-20, an all-time low before the compressed pandemic campaigns, compared with 19.3 as recently as 2014-15.
Back-to-backs by team, 2025-26
16 games: Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards
15 games: Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz
14 games: Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs
13 games: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder
The 2025-26 regular season spans 174 days, continuing the league’s effort to balance travel demands with competitive integrity while keeping total back-to-backs below historical norms.
Source: Hoops Rumors
