NBA schedule for 75th anniversary season has nods to history

Published August 20, 2021 1:58 PM

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer

The full schedule for the NBA’s 75th anniversary season has been released. Opening night is Oct. 19. It’s back to a normal schedule with all teams playing 82 games after a 72-game slate last season because the calendar was compressed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Toronto Raptors will play at home after relocating to Tampa, Florida, last season because of Canadian border restrictions. The NBA has prioritized player rest over the past several seasons, a trend that continues this year. Teams on average will travel about 43,000 miles this season. That would be a record low for a 30-team, 82-game season. And no team is being asked to play four games in the span of five days.