Spurs schedule gives them tough road back to the Finals

The San Antonio Spurs took a quantum leap last season, going from 34 to 62 wins and a trip to the NBA Finals. As they try to defend their Western Conference crown, the road back to the Finals will involve a whole lot of time on the road.

San Antonio Spurs will only play 37 games on home court

The Spurs are going to sacrifice some of their usual home-court advantage in 2026-27, simply because they're playing fewer games at their home Frost Bank Center. One of their "home" games will come in Paris on Jan. 14 against the New Orleans Pelicans, followed by a Pelicans "home" game in Manchester, U.K. on Jan. 17.

Victor Wembanyama and company will head 80 miles up I-35 for three games in Austin as well, the first one coinciding with a weekend of F1 racing Oct. 23. Those out-of-city home games may help the Spurs to grow their fanbase and business beyond San Antonio, but it adds a level of travel and the disadvantage of effectively playing at a neutral site.

The NBA gives the Spurs a schedule break for their European sojourn, with three days off before the French game and two games off after the English matchup. They'll be away from their home arena for a full month for their annual "Rodeo Trip" in February, when the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo takes over their building, which means a six-game road trip, two Austin games, and two more road games before a Finals rematch with the New York Knicks back at home March 7.

San Antonio Spurs learn success means higher expectations

The Spurs are fortunate to only have 13 back-to-backs, though the team does have to make up for its wandering with a stretch of nine road games in 12 games from Dec. 15 to Jan. 3. However, they've got more official "big" games than ever, as they'll play 34 nationally-televised games, tied for most in the league, ensuring they won't be sneaking up on opponents.

Those TV games are concentrated late in the year, with 25 of the 34 games taking place in the second half of the season. Those games are also predominantly against elite teams from last season, including three TV games against the Denver Nuggets and two against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who also play the Spurs on NBC on the season's opening night, Oct. 20.

It's always a tough road back to the Finals. It's even tougher when you have to play 45 of 82 games on the road.