The 2025-26 NBA schedule has been released, and, inevitably, some teams will draw the short end of the stick as far as difficulty.

The reason for difficulty doesn’t start and end with the opponents they’ll face, however, as other factors such as miles traveled, number of back-to-backs, a tough beginning or ending slate to the season, and other reasons can determine how favorable — or in this case, unfavorable a team’s schedule can be.

For this piece, we highlighted the five NBA teams with the toughest scheduling draw in the 2025-26 season.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers dealt with a litany of injuries to their most important players a season ago, as each of Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, Kyle Lowry, and Jared McCain missed significant time. Embiid (31 years old), George (35), and Lowry (39) are not getting any younger.

That’s why the 76ers’ tying for the league lead in most back-to-backs (16) is particularly harsh. Early predictions would probably sideline Embiid for rest in each back-to-back, with George and Lowry possibly sitting out for the same reason.

That would leave a core of Maxey, McCain, and 2025 third-round pick VJ Edgecombe as the leaders on those back-to-back nights. As was displayed last season, the duo of Maxey and McCain, while a talented backcourt, didn’t produce wins.

The Embiid era of Philadelphia basketball is quickly expiring, and the NBA schedule-makers are doing little to help.

Denver Nuggets

For the Denver Nuggets, it’s not just that they are tied with the 76ers with 16 back-to-backs, but they’re also tied for the league-low with just 12 games against teams on the second night of a back-to-back. Whether it’s a schedule gaffe or not, the Nuggets must live with that reality this season.

Like Philadelphia, Denver’s core isn’t particularly youthful. Nikola Jokić (30) is obviously the headliner who’s stayed incredibly durable throughout his career, but Jamal Murray (28) has dealt with a number of injuries. Aaron Gordon is just 29 but has logged 11 years of service in the league. New addition Cam Johnson has also suffered from injuries, appearing in 42, 58, and 57 games the past three seasons.

For a veteran-laden team with hopes of contending for a championship, it’s an unideal draw considering their high number of back-to-backs combined with a low number of games against other teams on back-to-backs.

Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns underwent a roster overhaul this offseason, sending out future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and what turned into rookie Khaman Maluach. They also acquired Charlotte Hornets Mark Williams on draft night, further fortifying the center position.

That leaves Devin Booker and an interesting ensemble of supporters, especially considering the backcourt fit alongside Green.

While they aren’t projected to be in the mix for a top-six seed in the playoffs, Booker is good enough to put them in contention for a play-in spot in the season’s final month.

But that’s where it gets difficult.

Three of Phoenix’s final four games come against Western Conference playoff participants from a season ago, with the Dallas Mavericks as the lone squad that missed out — but they should be much better with the duo of Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis for a full season.

The schedule goes as follows:

Tuesday, April 7 — vs. Houston Rockets

Wednesday, April 8 — vs. Dallas Mavericks

Friday, April 10 — @ Los Angeles Lakers

Sunday, April 12 — @ Oklahoma City Thunder

It’s a star-studded slate highlighted by Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Luka Dončić, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — although there is a significant possibility that the Thunder rest their starters for the final game of the regular season.

Regardless, it’s not an easy finish to the season for the Suns, especially if these games become critical for their play-in chances.

Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers face the opposite difficulty to the Suns, as they walk into a daunting first couple of weeks of their season. To kick the season off, they host the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder at home — which is surely to be an emotionally charged atmosphere, as they lost in seven games to the Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals.

our season opener is locked in 🔒 we take on the Thunder on October 23 on @espn at @GainbridgeFH. learn more: https://t.co/kE3iQwDfdl pic.twitter.com/oX9gA6jCbx — Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) August 12, 2025

After that, they’ll head on a three-game road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves (on a back-to-back), and Dallas Mavericks. A four-game home stint follows against the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Brooklyn Nets. Then, they have a back-to-back on the road against the Nuggets and Warriors.

In all, they face just one team (the Nets) that isn’t expected to be in the playoff hunt. For a team having to deal with Tyrese Haliburton’s injury, easing Andrew Nembhard into his first games handling full-time point guard duties, and having to replace center Myles Turner, expectations could be tempered real quick in Indiana.

Orlando Magic

Per Bookies.com, the Orlando Magic will travel over 55,000 miles during the entire 2025-26 season, the most in the league. That’s a lot of time on a plane, and it could surely affect the amount of rest players get.

And it’s not just Orlando’s location that disfavors the Magic in this situation, as the Miami Heat are in a relatively similar Southern location, and the Portland Trail Blazers are tucked away in the Pacific Northwest. It’s just how the schedule falls, as the Heat rank seventh on the list and the Trail Blazers third.

Orlando will rack up a significant chunk of miles between January 15 and 18, when they travel overseas to take on the Memphis Grizzlies in Germany and London.

The schedule-makers were kind to give them three days between their trip to Europe and four days before their next game on the way back, but it still messes with a player’s internal clock and could affect their play.

That, in addition to traveling a slew of miles within the States, could be fatiguing for the Magic this season.

Most Traveled NBA Teams Of the 2025-26 Season

The 2025-26 NBA season is just around the corner. Covers.com took a closer look at the NBA’s entire schedule reveal and calculated which team will be traveling the most based on total mileage. Read on for the full report.

Most Traveled NBA Teams of the 2025-26 Season

According to Cover.com’s breakdown of the 2025-26 NBA schedule, the Orlando Magic will travel the most this upcoming season. The Magic will travel a league-high 54,279 miles due in part to the Magic’s participation in two international games in Berlin, Germany, and London, United Kingdom. The Magic will also embark on the league’s longest average road trip of 919 miles.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies join the Magic as the only teams that will travel at least 50,000 miles this season. The Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns will change time zones a league-high 50 times this season, too.

Least Traveled NBA Teams of the 2025-26 Season

According to Cover.com, the Indiana Pacers will travel the most this upcoming season. The Pacers will travel a league-low 35,278 miles. The Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers trail the Pacers as the least-traveled teams this season. The 76ers, Hornets, Bulls, and Cavaliers will rack up under 38,000 miles.

Final Thoughts

As far as travel miles go, the 2025-26 NBA schedule sees Western Conference teams take on a greater burden, while only two Eastern Conference teams are ranked inside the top 15 in most miles traveled. All things considered, the NBA has a demanding travel schedule, with its players spending more time at 35,000 feet than teams in any other professional sports league. This can lead to jet lag.

Some people are at a higher risk of jet lag than others. Many NBA players are fit and healthy due to a rigorous fitness regimen, but some, if not most, players experience jet lag. However, players can combat jet lag, thanks to sleep therapists and flight improvements.

Last week’s release of the 2025-26 NBA schedule means Magic basketball is inching closer and closer.

Orlando will open the year with three consecutive home games at Kia Center for the first time in franchise history.

Jamahl Mosley‘s squad will play on national TV 14 times, including three on NBC and three on ESPN, as the group searches for a third straight trip to the playoffs.

But Orlando doesn’t just want to reach the postseason. It wants to advance past the first round, something the Magic haven’t accomplished since 2010 after six different early exits.

The journey to that point won’t be easy. There are bound to be twists and turns throughout an 82-game season as the Magic learned the hard way last year.

With that in mind, there are key components of Orlando’s upcoming schedule that are worth examining:

Bon voyage

The Magic are, by far, traveling the most miles in the league, and that’s because of two factors.

Orlando generally travels more than most teams year-in and year-out due to their West Coast trips. But this season’s two games against the Grizzlies in Europe put its mileage over the top.

The Magic will travel 53,208 miles, according to PositiveResidual.com, which is up from last year’s 43,744 miles traveled.

Orlando is one of three teams traveling more than 50,000 miles this season, joined by Portland (50,605) and Memphis (50,015), which the Magic will face in Berlin and London.

Back-to-back bonus

Because of their trip overseas, the Magic are getting a slight break on the back-to-backs. Orlando is playing 14 back-to-backs, which are the second fewest. Twelve other teams are playing 15 or 16 back-to-backs while only six are playing 13.

Five of Orlando’s 14 back-to-backs are home-and-homes (meaning they don’t require any travel) and two are away-to-home (meaning the second game is at Kia Center).

Still, the Magic will have 12 games where they’re at a rest disadvantage (meaning their opponent has more rest than them), which are the third-most. That said, Orlando has 11 games where its at a rest advantage, an amount that’s middle of the league.

Crucial stretch

How the Magic look when they return from Europe in late January will be key. Orlando plays three of its next five games at Kia Center, including its first two contests upon traveling back home.

The results after such a long trip have varied for teams who have played internationally in the past.

Last season, the Pacers won three straight and four of their next five after playing San Antonio in Paris.

Meanwhile, the Spurs lost four of their next seven. Similarly after defeating the Pistons in Paris in 2023, the Bulls lost three of their next five.

Familiar faces

Given their roster changes this summer, the Magic will match up against a number of former teammates.

That includes guards Gary Harris and Cole Anthony, who play twice in Orlando with the Bucks Feb. 9-11. Milwaukee then hosts the Magic on March 8.

Orlando will also face Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during its pair of Europe games with Memphis, which landed the two-time NBA champion as a part of the Desmond Bane blockbuster exchange in June.

If Caleb Houstan sticks with the Hawks, who reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the young wing in July after Orlando declined his club option for the upcoming season, the Magic would see him twice in the first two weeks of the regular season. They’d play each other two more times in the spring.

Photo finish?

The importance of the final week of the regular season will depend on how the rest of the year plays out.

Two years ago when Orlando finished fifth in the East, it needed a win on the last day of the regular season to secure its spot in the playoffs. Last season, however, the Magic had their spot as the No. 7 seed in the Play-In Tournament locked up before their last two games.

For a second year in a row, Orlando will play four of its last six games on the road, including its last two at Chicago and at Boston.

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com

Orlando tops the NBA in miles traveled for 2025-26, while Indiana stays close to home. See which teams face grueling road trips and which enjoy the lightest schedules.

Photo By – Imagn Images.

The Orlando Magic are a team on the rise in the NBA’s Eastern Conference – but will a grueling travel schedule be their downfall this season?

The Magic own the dubious distinction of being the most traveled team in the league in 2025-26, racking up an absurd 54,279 miles thanks in no small part to their participation in a pair of regular-season international games.

We examine the entire 2025-26 NBA calendar and break down which teams have the roughest travel itineraries – and which reigning NBA finalist has it the easiest.

Key Takeaways

The Orlando Magic not only have the most overall miles, they’ll also endure the longest average road trip at 919 miles

not only have the most overall miles, they’ll also endure the The Portland Trail Blazers lead all Western Conference teams in travel wear for 2025-26, coming in at 50,506 total miles

lead all Western Conference teams in travel wear for 2025-26, coming in at Only two Eastern Conference teams – both based in Florida – are ranked inside the top-15 in most miles traveled

– both based in Florida – are ranked in most miles traveled The team they vanquished, the Indiana Pacers, will do the least amount of traveling of any NBA team next season

2025-26 NBA Most Travelled Teams

Rank Team Total Miles 1 Orlando Magic* 54,279 2 Portland Trail Blazers 50,506 3 Memphis Grizzlies* 50,464 4 Miami Heat 46,997 5 Golden State Warriors 46,849 6 Los Angeles Clippers 46,572 7 Phoenix Suns 46,551 8 San Antonio Spurs 46,394 9 Dallas Mavericks** 45,846 10 Houston Rockets 45,431 11 Minnesota Timberwolves 45,403 12 Denver Nuggets 45,243 13 Utah Jazz 45,195 14 New Orleans Pelicans 44,830 15 Los Angeles Lakers 44,387 16 Boston Celtics 44,042 17 Detroit Pistons** 42,785 18 Oklahoma City Thunder 42,172 19 Sacramento Kings 41,844 20 Brooklyn Nets 41,125 21 Atlanta Hawks 40,114 22 Washington Wizards 39,954 23 New York Knicks 39,755 24 Toronto Raptors 37,870 25 Milwaukee Bucks 37,475 26 Cleveland Cavaliers 37,464 27 Chicago Bulls 37,436 28 Charlotte Hornets 36,442 29 Philadelphia 76ers 36,347 30 Indiana Pacers 35,278

*Playing in Berlin and London

** Playing in Mexico City

2025-26 NBA Most Travelled Teams

1. Orlando Magic

✈️ Total miles traveled: 54,279

📏 Average trip: 919 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 38

It might seem strange to see an Eastern Conference team atop this list – but that’s what happens when you’re connected to not one, but two international games. The Magic will face the Memphis Grizzlies in a pair of European neutral-site games – and you have to wonder if those outings will have an adverse impact on the team’s season.

2. Portland Trail Blazers

✈️ Total miles traveled: 50,506

📏 Average trip: 918 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 48

Western Conferences have it typically much tougher than their East Coast brethren, and no Pacific team has it worse in 2025-26 than the Trail Blazers. Their worst stretch of the season stretches over nearly a month of action (Feb. 11-March 6), during which they’ll play eight of 10 games on the road while switching time zones six times.

3. Memphis Grizzlies

✈️ Total miles traveled: 50,464

📏 Average trip: 870 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 50

The Magic’s European travel partner – and third and final member of the 50,000-miles club – doesn’t quite have it as tough as the teams ahead of it on the list, but that’s a small consolation. Memphis will endure a league-high 50 time-zone switches, highlighted by a stretch of nine-or-11 road games between Nov. 11 and Dec. 2.

4. Miami Heat

✈️ Total miles traveled: 46,997

📏 Average trip: 839 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 30

How about those Florida-based teams? The weather is great, and the lack of state income tax puts more money in players’ pockets, but the travel schedules are brutal. Miami is the only other Eastern Conference team in the top-15 on this list – and its only saving grace for 2025-26 is not having to make the trek overseas like their Orlando rivals.

5. Golden State Warriors

✈️ Total miles traveled: 46,849

📏 Average trip: 884 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 46

Those old bones in San Francisco are getting creakier by the year – and Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr certainly won’t benefit from the travel schedule in that regard. The Warriors have it rough in 2025-26, capped by a run of 10 road contests in a 12-game span from Oct. 30-Nov. 19.

6. Los Angeles Clippers

✈️ Total miles traveled: 46,572

📏 Average trip: 879 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 46

Speaking of those who are now considered elderly in NBA years, the oldest roster in the NBA hasn’t been given any favors by the league here. A month-long gauntlet from Nov. 14-Dec. 17 might just be the worst of any team in the league: The Clippers play 12 of 14 games away from Intuit Dome, with five time zone changes over that span.

7. Phoenix Suns

✈️ Total miles traveled: 46,551

📏 Average trip: 831 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 50

No NBA roster will be resetting its Rolexes more often than the Suns, who will encounter an incredible 50 time zone changes in 2025-26. Those 46,551 travel miles are no small burden, either – particularly for a Suns team expected to finish near the bottom of the Western Conference standings following the trade of Kevin Durant to Houston.

8. San Antonio Spurs

✈️ Total miles traveled: 46,394

📏 Average trip: 800 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 36

The Spurs need superstar Victor Wembanyama back to full health for 2025-26 – especially when you consider how daunting their travel schedule is shaping up to be. It gets especially challenging in the month leading up to Christmas, when San Antonio plays 10 of 13 on the road with zero consecutive home games in that stretch.

9. Dallas Mavericks

✈️ Total miles traveled: 45,846

📏 Average trip: 804 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 38

Welcome to the NBA, Cooper Flagg! I hope you have a really comfortable airplane pillow. Flagg and the Mavericks will travel more than 800 miles per road trip in 2025-26, a stark departure from what the No. 1 pick was accustomed to at Duke. It’s particularly grueling from Nov. 24 to Jan. 10, when Dallas plays 13 of 19 on the road.

10. Houston Rockets

✈️ Total miles traveled: 45,431

📏 Average trip: 811 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 34

Durant’s new team has plenty of young firepower on the roster – and that might very well come in handy when it comes to navigating this travel sked. The Rockets don’t have nearly the same time zone issues as teams further up on the list, but there will still plenty of miles on the odometer. How will Durant – who turns 37 in September – manage them?

2025-26 NBA Least Travelled Teams

30. Indiana Pacers

✈️ Total miles traveled: 35,278

📏 Average trip: 630 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 32

A Game 7 NBA Finals loss and devastating long-term injury to their cornerstone point guard made the end of last season positively wretched for the Pacers and their fans. And while nothing will erase those painful memories, it has to be heartening to see Indiana enter 2025-26 with the fewest projected miles traveled of any NBA team.

29. Philadelphia 76ers

✈️ Total miles traveled: 36,347

📏 Average trip: 627 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 24

Few teams face as many legitimate question marks entering the season as the 76ers – but you cannot make their schedule a contributing factor to any future struggles. The 76ers will leave the Eastern time zone just 24 times this season, fewer than any team in the league. Now, if only Philly’s core players can stay healthy …

28. Charlotte Hornets

✈️ Total miles traveled: 36,442

📏 Average trip: 618 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 26

Something has to go Charlotte’s way this season, right? After years of futility and humiliation in basketball hotbed North Carolina, the Hornets might finally see some positive movement in 2025-26 – and their travel schedule will help in that regard, with the team’s average trip coming in at a league-low 618 miles.

27. Chicago Bulls

✈️ Total miles traveled: 37,436

📏 Average trip: 693 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 36

Ignore the part where the Bulls play 13 of their final 20 games away from Chicago, and the 2025-26 schedule looks rather favorable for the six-time NBA champions. Things look especially good from Dec. 3-Jan. 3, when the Bulls play 10 of 13 at home, with only trips to Cleveland (315 miles) and Atlanta (606 miles) on the docket.

26. Cleveland Cavaliers

✈️ Total miles traveled: 37,464

📏 Average trip: 646 miles

🕒 # of time zone changes: 28

Speaking of those Cavaliers, they have to be at least a bit chafed at being forced to travel a whopping 28 miles more than their Windy City rivals. But with a shorter average trip and eight fewer time zone changes, things more than even out. Cleveland has its own stretch of 10 home games in a 13-game span from Oct. 31-Nov. 23.

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The Portland Trail Blazers’ 2025-26 schedule was released yesterday. While all teams play 82 games, not every schedule is created exactly equal, either from team to team or year to year. After perusing Portland’s, here are several things that stand out.

Overall Impression

I’ll never forget the feeling I had looking at the schedule during the Summer of 1991. This was my first year with any usable disposable income and I knew just how I wanted to spend it: buying as many tickets for Blazers games as I could. Seasons tickets and I were in completely different salary brackets, so I had to pick and choose. Matchups were a priority, of course. I got to see Olajuwon, Jordan, Ewing, David Robinson, Magic Johnson, and more. But I also remember hunting for wins. Frankly, they were pretty easy to come by.

This is something that modern Blazers fans probably don’t realize. When you’re at the top of the league, there are only two kinds of games on the schedule: victories and toss-ups. You win 90% of the victory games, half of the toss-ups, and you’ve got yourself a great record. Looking at that ‘91-’92 schedule, I remember thinking the Blazers had a legit chance to win 70 games. You could hardly find a difficult contest, let alone a down stretch.

Over the past few years, Portland’s schedule has been more like store-brand frozen pizza: tough no matter which way you slice it. It’s been the inverse of those Clyde Drexler years. You’re happy to see a toss-up game amid the sea of probable losses.

This year there’s a slight improvement. Portland might be able to pencil in some actual “W’s” against the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns. It’s not guaranteed, but it’s a step forward.

Still, most of the calendar looks like another lineup of losses. There are no easy months. Every time a stretch starts looking promising, up comes a murderer’s row, at least from Portland’s perspective. The first five months of the season forecast to about 3 “easy” wins per month, with the rest of the games leaving Portland at a probable disadvantage. The only question is whether it’s slight or overwhelming.

The gut feeling looking at this year’s schedule is that the Blazers aren’t out of the woods yet. So many thing can go wrong. The team can’t absorb or afford that. It’s probably going to be another season where we tout scrappiness, upcoming promise, and individual players over success.

Scary October

The Blazers face the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets in their first six games, with only the Utah Jazz as relief.

There are a couple bright spots, though.

The beginning of the season is pure Froot Loops for everybody. Teams are getting settled and used to each other. Nobody is locking in for playoffs races yet. Veteran teams are in shakedown cruise mode as much as anyone. If the Blazers have to face a nasty stretch, having it also be the most random month of the season is not a bad thing. Young legs and a devil-may-care approach probably serves as well in October as any time.

Second, Portland is resilient…or maybe more accurately, random. How they play in one month says almost nothing about how they’ll play in others. Few teams are more suited to shake off a down start, if it comes to that, than the Blazers are.

Cruising Home

The flip side of that frontloaded schedule is March and April. During that month and a half, the Blazers draw seven completely winnable games and a couple of toss-ups. Nothing is guaranteed, but if Portland can hold their own early and develop momentum towards the playoffs, the schedule is set to let them finish the run. Fingers crossed that it’s not a moot point by then.

Road Distribution

Living in the corner of the country, the Blazers will still pack on more travel miles than most teams this year. But they have only three extended road trips all season, each of five games’ duration. They are:

November 8th-16th at Miami, Orlando, New Orleans, Houston, and Dallas

February 26th-March 16th at Chicago, Charlotte, Atlanta, Memphis, and Houston

March 15th-March 22nd at Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Indiana, Minnesota, and Denver

I’m trying to remember the last time Portland didn’t have at least one 6- or 7-game road swing on the schedule.

The shadow side of this is that the Blazers do have stretches where those longer road trips are interrupted by only a couple home games, a product of the away games being distributed more widely in the schedule. Between November 8th and December 7th, Portland will play 12 of 16 games on the road. Between February 11th and March 22nd they’ll play 13 of 18 away. Those stretches could influence any potential playoffs run heavily.

Sneaky January

January looks like a potentially good month for the Blazers with only 7 out of 15 games in the hard-to-win category. The barbed hook in that bait: it’s a back-to-back bonanza. The Blazers play in four back-to-back scenarios in January. Their other ten are distributed among the remaining five months of the year. Hopefully fatigue won’t turn otherwise-winnable games into difficult ones.