Man, the NBA wants this series over quick.
by Basketball John on Apr 16, 2009 9:30 AM MDT
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PrintI know that we stand no chance against the Lakers and that we're merely pesky flies in the league's master plan, but could we get a little love? Take a look at the schedule for the first four games of the series:
That's right, in the days of drawn out series to maximize TV revenue and all that, the NBA has scheduled the Jazz and Lakers to play 4 games in 7 nights. In fact, the two teams don't get a two game break until after the 5th game and that's the only one. Since most experts are predicting it will be over by then, there likely will be no two-day rest. Here's the full schedule:
| APRIL | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV | LOCAL TV | RESOURCES | |
| @ LA Lakers | 3:00 PM |  |
Tickets | Travel | |||
| @ LA Lakers | 10:30 PM | TNT | Tickets | Travel | |||
| LA Lakers | 10:30 PM | TNT | Tickets | Travel | |||
| LA Lakers | 9:00 PM |   |
Tickets | Travel | |||
| @ LA Lakers | TBA | Tickets | Travel | ||||
| LA Lakers | TBA | Tickets | Travel | ||||
| MAY | OPPONENT | TIME (ET) | TV | LOCAL TV | RESOURCES | |
| @ LA Lakers | TBA | TNT | Tickets | Travel | |||
I know that this impacts both teams, but that's not the point. Let's take a look at how much rest the teams in the other series get.
The 6-digit number represents how many days off between each game. The first number in parentheses represents how many total days rest there are in the first four games of the series. The second number is how many total days rest in the 7-game series.
Western Conference:
Lakers/Jazz - 111121, (3, 7)
Mavs/Spurs - 121221, (4, 9)
Nuggs/Hornets - 221111, (5, 8)
Rockets/Blazers - 221111, (5, 8)
Eastern Conference:
Hawks/Heat - 221111, (5, 8)
Celtics/Bulls, 122111, (5, 8)
Cavs/Pistons, 221211, (5, 9)
Magic/76ers, 211111, (4, 7)
Granted, the Jazz and Lakers will have had three days off since their last game of the season whereas most everyone else will have only had two. But is there a huge difference between 2 and 3 days off? Whereas, there's a huge difference between 1 and 2 days off, especially when you have to travel.
I can't find the stat, but the Jazz have a ridiculous record when they have a two days off. They're still pretty good with just one day off though as well.
If the series goes just 5 games, it would end on April 27th. This is huge for the Lakers because their next round opponent, either the Rockets or Blazers, woudl still be playing for a long time. Since that series will go at least 6 games, if not 7, the earliest they would finish would be April 30. Throw in a day break and they don't play until May 2 at the earliest. That's a five-game break to rest up on.
Only 3 days of rest in the first 4 games and only 7 total in the series = hosed again.
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and who gets the most love
Stern’s new fave – the Cavs
Seriously, if the officiating is as bad as it was last year in the playoffs then I may not watch another NBA game again…and I’m actually very serious about that.
I'm joining
you. But be prepared to see a lot of phantom fouls on Kobe. You heard it hear first, the officiating will be terrible in the Jazz/Lakers series.
this is ridiculous . . .
remember that 1st round series the jazz had against the sonics years ago, and there was lke 4 days off between game 2 and game 3?
by AllThatJazzBasketball on Apr 16, 2009 9:42 AM MDT reply actions
ARGGGHH
This is flagrant and unfair. I don’t see how they can get away with something like this. I mean, there’s just no way to justify it. Unbelievable.
The only silver lining is that we’ll get a helluva dose of basketball this next week.
Can someone help me out...
I’m trying to think of a song by Justin Timberlake a couple of years back…
you're thinking of a Justin Timberlake song?
How embarrassing for you.
Uh, do you think you could draw me like a ninja?
From the WSJ article linked
But the Jazz are a far superior team when they play after having at least one day off — in fact, they’re better in these situations than every team in the West except the Lakers.
So theoretically, doesn’t the short rest impact the Lakers negatively, too, even moreso than the Jazz, since the Lakers are much better after having at least one day off?
It's not as if there are back-to-backs scheduled
In which case, the Jazz do have a big drop off.
Maybe the accumulated non-rest will be a factor, but the stats don’t talk about that. They only indicate that both the Lakers and Jazz play well when given at least one day of rest between games. So, it should be a good series.
well also
The Jazz ended their season brutally. They’re exhausted and limping into the playoffs. And then Stern slams them with yet another mountain to climb. The only fun of being a Jazz fan is that it always seems like it’s us against the world.
seriously, how do they justify this?
it’s just like last year in the laker series, there was an extra day off both times when the series went back to l.a. as well as an extra day off between game 1 and game 2 in l.a.:
May 4 at LA Lakers L 98-109
May 7 at LA Lakers L 110-120
May 9 vs LA Lakers W 104-99
May 11 vs LA Lakers W 123-115
May 14 at LA Lakers L 104-111
May 16 vs LA Lakers L 105-108
Um
The only extra day of rest is between game 5 and 6 when the series goes back to Utah. Don’t see how you guys are getting hosed in comparison to LA. The schedule is the same for us.
i assume you're talking about this year and not last year
in which case, note that the title of the post is “Man, the NBA wants this series over quick” and bbj said
I know that this impacts both teams
the post is talking about the scheduling of this series (not only the jazz) compared to other playoff series.
Yes I know
I only assumed that you brought up last year’s schedule against to Lakers to try and say that schedule makers favor the Lakers somehow.
well last year
i did think the lakers had an advantage. this year, i think this series has been scheduled “differently” than other series.
Cheap
I don’t really get it, the NBA should at least schedule the Eastern Conference 1-8 matchup in the same manner. To think the Lakers could get a week off essentially is ludicrous.
For the NBA’s sake, don’t give up Jazz. Draw out the series and win!!!
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