The NBA All-Star break is over and the teams will focus on improving their rosters for the postseason. Additionally, other good teams will be trying to qualify for the postseason, while average teams will be trying for the Play-in tournament. Some teams have already played most of their toughest games before the NBA All-Star Weekend. However, for some teams, the toughest task lies ahead in the next few weeks. A lot of these games are set to decide the team’s fate for the postseason. On that note, let’s have a look at the teams with the toughest schedules as of the first week of March.
5) Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are currently the worst team in the NBA and now they officially hold the record for most consecutive losses in a season. The Pistons have won only eight of the 54 games they have played this season before the NBA All-Star break. They have one of the toughest schedules over the next few weeks after the NBA All-Star Game. They are scheduled to face the top teams in the Eastern Conference in the remaining days of February. Detroit will face the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and New York Knicks. Apart from this, they also have to play against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Mavericks in the opening week of March. They are almost out of the playoffs this season and only a few losses will take them out of contention in the Play-In Tournament as well.
4) Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are already having a bad season this year. They have played 54 games so far in the season and won only nine of them. Aside from the terrible season they’ve had, they have the toughest schedule over the next few weeks. In the remaining games in February, the Wizards have contests against top teams such as the OKC Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets. In the first week of March, the Wizards are scheduled to go up against the Orlando Magic, LA Lakers and the LA Clippers.
3) Houston Rockets
Initially, in the 2023–24 season, the Houston Rockets had established themselves as one of the top-tier teams in the Western Conference. They became one of the best defensive teams in the league. However, they are now in 12th place in the Western Conference with a 12-30 record. As the season progressed, Houston found themselves in deeper trouble. Now they have a tough schedule over the next few weeks after the NBA All-Star break. In February, Houston is set to face the New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns and OKC Thunder twice. Their first two games in March are again against the Suns and they have to face the LA Clippers in the same week.
2) Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have a better record than last season. Kyrie Irving and Luka may not have decoded their chemistry, but they’re definitely working better with each other. The Mavericks are currently in 7th place in the Western Conference with a 32-23 record. Dallas has tough weeks ahead, as they will face some of the toughest teams. In February, the Mavericks are scheduled to face the league’s best offensive teams, the Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the first week of March, the Mavericks will face the Philadelphia 76ers and the league’s top team, the Boston Celtics.
1) LA Lakers
The LA Lakers have played 56 games so far in the season before the NBA All-Star break. They are currently in 9th place in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record. Their NBA schedule for the few weeks following the NBA All-Star break is the fifth toughest in the league. Although they won the In-Season tournament, their decline, mainly due to injuries since the In-Season tournament final, has been worrying. The Lakers have to face the LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns in the remainder of their February schedule after the NBA All-Star break. They also have to play against teams like the Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks and the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the first two weeks of March.
Also Read: NBA Teams With Easiest Schedule After All-Star Break
