Let's look at the schedule in parts.
Key factors that I took into consideration:
- It's unlikely the Suns will win a lot of games in a row, even if they are all winnable
- It's unlikely the Suns will lose a lot of games in a row, even if they are all against tough opponents
- Home-and-aways, within a week or so of each other, are almost always split. It's a matter of pride not to lose twice to the same team in a short time span, no matter how good or bad the opponent
- Lots of consecutive road games against quality opponents are usually a .500 run
- Lots of consecutive home games against easy opponents are almost never total winning streaks, though you can expect to win most of them
- There are some tough stretches, and some easy stretches. Careful not to over/under-estimate the team during any one stretch
Update: Suns get 25 national TV games (including NBA-TV) - 12 home games, 13 on the road
Update #2: Suns only play 16 back-to-backs, down from 20 last season. A boon for Steve and Grant.
Okay, away we go, after the jump!
Here is my analysis:
Click on the link for details.
Also, here it is (hope it formats ok). I broke the schedule down by runs of tough/easy games, and road/away-heavy portions as well.
| Streak | Overall | |||
|
Tue 26
|
@ Portland | 7:00pm | ||
| Thu 28 | @ Utah | 7:30pm | ||
| Fri 29 | vs LA Lakers | 7:30pm | ||
| November | Opponent | Time | ||
| Wed 03 | vs San Antonio | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 05 | vs Memphis | 7:00pm | 3-2 | 3-2 |
| Sun 07 | @ Atlanta | 3:00pm | ||
| Mon 08 | @ Memphis | 6:00pm | ||
| Fri 12 | vs Sacramento | 7:00pm | ||
| Sun 14 | @ LA Lakers | 7:30pm | ||
| Mon 15 | vs Denver | 7:00pm | ||
| Wed 17 | @ Miami | 5:00pm | ||
| Thu 18 | @ Orlando | 6:00pm | ||
| Sat 20 | @ Charlotte | 5:00pm | ||
| Mon 22 | @ Houston | 6:30pm | 5-4 | 8-6 |
| Wed 24 | vs Chicago | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 26 | vs LA Clippers | 7:00pm | ||
| Sun 28 | @ Denver | 6:00pm | ||
| December | Opponent | Time | ||
| Thu 02 | @ Golden State | 8:30pm | ||
| Fri 03 | vs Indiana | 7:00pm | ||
| Sun 05 | vs Washington | 6:00pm | ||
| Tue 07 | @ Portland | 8:00pm | ||
| Wed 08 | vs Memphis | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 10 | vs Portland | 7:00pm | ||
| Wed 15 | vs Minnesota | 7:00pm | 8-2 | 16-8 |
| Fri 17 | @ Dallas | 7:30pm | ||
| Sun 19 | @ Oklahoma City | 5:00pm | ||
| Mon 20 | @ San Antonio | 6:30pm | ||
| Thu 23 | vs Miami | 8:30pm | ||
| Sun 26 | @ LA Clippers | 1:00pm | ||
| Wed 29 | vs Philadelphia | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 31 | vs Detroit | 7:00pm | ||
| January | Opponent | Time | ||
| Sun 02 | @ Sacramento | 7:00pm | 5-3 | 21-11 |
| Wed 05 | vs LA Lakers | 8:30pm | ||
| Fri 07 | vs New York | 8:30pm | ||
| Sun 09 | vs Cleveland | 6:00pm | ||
| Tue 11 | @ Denver | 7:00pm | ||
| Wed 12 | vs New Jersey | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 14 | vs Portland | 8:30pm | 4-2 | 25-13 |
| Mon 17 | @ New York | 11:00am | ||
| Wed 19 | @ Cleveland | 5:00pm | ||
| Fri 21 | @ Washington | 6:00pm | ||
| Sat 22 | @ Detroit | 5:30pm | ||
| Mon 24 | @ Philadelphia | 5:00pm | ||
| Wed 26 | vs Charlotte | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 28 | vs Boston | 8:30pm | ||
| Sun 30 | vs New Orleans | 6:00pm | ||
| February | Opponent | Time | ||
| Wed 02 | vs Milwaukee | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 04 | vs Oklahoma City | 7:00pm | 8-2 | 33-15 |
| Mon 07 | @ Golden State | 8:30pm | ||
| Thu 10 | vs Golden State | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 11 | @ Utah | 8:30pm | ||
| Sun 13 | vs Sacramento | 6:00pm | ||
| Tue 15 | vs Utah | 7:00pm | ||
| Thu 17 | vs Dallas | 8:30pm | ||
| Wed 23 | vs Atlanta | 7:00pm | 5-2 | 38-17 |
| Fri 25 | @ Toronto | 5:00pm | ||
| Sun 27 | @ Indiana | 10:00am | ||
| Mon 28 | @ New Jersey | 5:00pm | ||
| March | Opponent | Time | ||
| Wed 02 | @ Boston | 5:30pm | ||
| Fri 04 | @ Milwaukee | 6:30pm | ||
| Sun 06 | @ Oklahoma City | 5:00pm | 3-3 | 41-20 |
| Tue 08 | vs Houston | 7:00pm | ||
| Thu 10 | vs Denver | 8:30pm | ||
| Sun 13 | vs Orlando | 12:30pm | 2-1 | 43-21 |
| Mon 14 | @ Houston | 5:30pm | ||
| Wed 16 | @ New Orleans | 5:00pm | ||
| Fri 18 | vs Golden State | 7:00pm | ||
| Sun 20 | @ LA Clippers | 12:30pm | ||
| Tue 22 | @ LA Lakers | 7:30pm | 3-2 | 46-23 |
| Wed 23 | vs Toronto | 7:00pm | ||
| Fri 25 | vs New Orleans | 7:00pm | ||
| Sun 27 | vs Dallas | 7:30pm | ||
| Tue 29 | @ Sacramento | 7:00pm | ||
| Wed 30 | vs Oklahoma City | 7:00pm | ||
| April | Opponent | Time | ||
| Fri 01 | vs LA Clippers | 7:00pm | 4-2 | 50-25 |
| Sun 03 | @ San Antonio | 10:00am | ||
| Tue 05 | @ Chicago | 5:00pm | ||
| Wed 06 | @ Minnesota | 5:00pm | ||
| Fri 08 | @ New Orleans | 5:00pm | ||
| Sun 10 | @ Dallas | 4:30pm | ||
| Mon 11 | vs Minnesota | 7:00pm | ||
| Wed 13 | vs San Antonio | 7:30pm | 5-2 | 55-27 |
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