NBA Schedule Back to Backs Impact OKC Thunder in Massive Way

The NBA released the regular season schedule for the 2025-26 campaign last week. The amount of back to back sets each team faces works out in the favor of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

How Many Back to Back Sets Does Each NBA Team Have?

• 13: Thunder, Pacers, Timberwolves, Bulls, Celtics, Hawks
• 14: Spurs, Kings, Magic, Knicks, Bucks, Grizzlies, Lakers, Rockets, Pistons, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Nets
• 15: Jazz, Raptors, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Heat, Clippers, Warriors
• 16: Nugget s, 76ers, Wizards, Suns, Hornets

The Oklahoma City Thunder having the lowest amount of back-to-backs in the NBA is a massive win for the team. Sure, the Thunder are not only incredibly talented but also boast the deepest roster in the NBA, remaining young enough to avoid being hindered by rigorous back-to-back sets. However, after playing deep into June, it is great for the Thunder not to have to navigate 16 back-to-back sets while preparing for another season that hopefully spans nine months.

However, the Thunder should have their eyes on two teams tied for the most back-to-back sets in the league. The Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers.

Why it Matters

The Denver Nuggets facing 16 back to backs is part of a brutal travel lineup for the Mile High Crew this season. Denver is poised to be Oklahoma City's toughest test in the Western Conference and jam packing a schedule like this –– including one of the back to back sets for the Nuggets being in the midst of a Thu nder battle for tiebreaker purposes –– sets OKC up nicely in its quest for the third straight No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The Philadelphia 76ers have the widest range of outcomes among NBA teams this season. With injuries biting them even in the offseason, no one knows what to make of this season for the City of Brotherly Love Ballers. Joel Embiid and Paul George seem unlikely to partake in many of these back-to-back bouts with an aging rotation that features Kyle Lowry and Andre Drummond, making life difficult on the 76ers, who somehow wound up with the most back-to-back games in the NBA.

The Thunder own the 76ers' top four protected pick in a loaded 2026 NBA Draft, barring a massive leap in the lottery. If Philly stumbles during the season, that pick gets even more valuable for an Oklahoma City squad that is going to have to navigate an expensive roster next summer by loading up on cost-controlled talent.