How the Shortened NBA Schedule Will Affect Title Contenders

When the lockout ended, players and NBA fans alike rejoiced at the prospect of a new season. But with the delayed opener, the season was condensed from its usual 82 games to a mere 66. 

To break it down, there will be 42 back-to-back-to-backs played this year, meaning teams play three games in three nights, a move the NBA has not played since 1999. Last season, when the schedule was normal, teams reached the 66-game mark in 135 days. This year, they will have to achieve that in 124 days. The schedule will run eight percent faster than last year. 

This means there will be less time between games for practices and less time for injuries to heal. 

How will NBA contenders deal with this toughened schedule? 

Will this year's champions be filled with youth? Or will the old superstars tough it out?

Here are predictions for how the major title contenders will manage with the new schedule. We will base the effect of the shortened schedule on a scale of 0-10, 0 being not affected by the shortened season at all, and 10 being completely devastated by it, called Shortened Season Impact (SSI).

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Be sure to read 5 Reasons Why the Wizards Must Move Andray Blatche to Improve.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics starting five is the second oldest in the NBA. 

What does this mean?

It means if one of their starters is injured, their age plays a factor in their recovery. With the shortened schedule, this means they will miss more games. 

While Boston's "Big Three" are the center of their point scoring, they have filled the bench with youngsters to sub in for the starters when needed. For example, Jermaine O'Neal, Boston's starting C, has reached the tender age of 33, where it is make or break for NBA players. 

Consider O'Neal broken. He is not putting up the numbers expected of a center on such a high-profile team. If he is injured, he will take a long time to recover.

But all is not lost for the Celtics starting C position. In last Monday's win against the Washington Wizards, Greg Steimsma was put into play for 21 minutes and netted 13 important Boston points. While he only averages as many points as he does rebounds, he showed promise. While he had one impressive night, if O'Neal became injured, he wouldn't save Boston near the rim.

Yet Boston has one particularly youthful powerhouse. Rajon Rondo averages a double-double and will be the key to Boston's success with the shortened schedule. Without Rondo, the Celtics would perish to the bottom of the league if one of the "Big Three" players were injured.

Impact of Shortened Schedule: 7/10

The effect of the shortened schedule will hit hard in Boston this year.

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have done a complete 180 this year.

With the addition of center Tyson Chandler and point guard Toney Douglas, the Knicks have looked stronger than ever. All of their starters are under 30, and they have backups to fill in for starters if they become injured. 

During last Wednesday's loss to the Bobcats, there were positives to take away form it. After coming off the bench, Iman Shumpert scored 18. He is most likely to become a starter in following games in replacement of Landry Fields, yet it showed that the Knicks have two possible starting guards. 

While the heavy opening week schedule left the Knicks high and dry at 2-4, they pulled big wins against the Celtics and the Kings. The win against Boston was big because it demonstrated the power of this new Knicks team and that they are playoff contenders.

With the Kings, that win rounded up a three games in four days run, where they lost to the Lakers and the Warriors. After bad luck against two top teams, the Knicks were able to flex their muscle in that 114-92 win.

While they aren't the youngest team in the league, they aren't the oldest and not nearly the weakest. With Anthony leading the way with Stoudemire, even if a starter is injured, not only do they have potential backups, but they can recover faster. Their players are not injury prone, but they may become fatigued. 

Shortened Schedule Impact: 4/10

The Knicks won't have as much trouble as the Celtics, but will still have their fair share of problems.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder have the youngest starting five in the NBA at an average of 24.4 years of age.

This is a huge plus for a team expected to reach the NBA finals. Durant is the front runner in the MVP race. He is guiding another rising star full of raw talent, Russel Westbrook. Seeing that all their starters are younger and full of energy, injuries will become a minor factor. 

There isn't much to say except that the Thunder will have the easiest time, out of any team in the NBA, coping with the shortened schedule. Beside the fallout between Westbrook and Durant during one match, Durant is killing it. To score 26 PPG and become a leader at just 23 is astounding.

Shortened Schedule Impact: 1/10

The Thunder will have no trouble handling the change in game play.  

Dallas Mavericks

The reigning NBA Champions will not repeat. Even if their was no schedule change and they had managed to keep all their players from their championship-winning lineup, they still would not repeat.

The notion of parting with Tyson Chandler and receiving Vince Carter is already a sign that adding youth to the roster is not top priority on the minds of the Mavs coaches and executives. 

When four of the five starters are over 32 years of age and the remaining one is closing in on 30, it makes recovery and the elimination of fatigue ever so much difficult. You may think that with so many years of experience, they can tough it out. Yet its simply science. With age, the body becomes more fragile and takes longer to heal.

Putting a 38-year-old into the starting lineup isn't a good sign. The Mavericks peaked last year by winning an NBA Final.

From this season forward, I predict the Mavs to have a slow but sure declination in performance until they bring in the youth. With today's game being dominated by players in their early to mid-20s, guys like Kidd and Nowitzki will have a difficult time keeping up.

Shortened Schedule Impact: 9/10

The Mavericks will have the toughest time adjusting to the new schedule.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are one of the best teams in the league. But will the shortened schedule effect them?

With a 6-1 record, it seems that it wouldn't. Yet with a 30-year-old Boozer being injury prone, the cause of his poor performance last season, it won't be easy for them to accompany injuries into the mix. Yet even with this small problem, it is hard to believe that the schedule could truly effect the intensity of game play the Bulls are exerting. With Rose and Deng leading the way, they are in the top three teams with the Heat and the Thunder. 

Yet, with this volatile season, anything can happen. Rose could become injured or hit a slump. If Rose became injured, it would be horrendous. Not only is he the leader in points, but he orchestrates the flow of the game. While the would not hit rock bottom without their MVP candidate PG, they won't stand a chance in the playoffs against the Heat. 

To play devil's advocate for a minute, one could make the argument that he could make a speedy recovery because of his youth and his urge to play. This is very true. It really depends on the degree of injury.

Though the way the Bulls are playing, even a slight setback such as an injury could not stop them. They are ready and willing to play the dreaded three nights, three-game schedule.

Shortened Schedule Impact: 5/10

The Bulls are older than most, yet will persevere through the tough times.   

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are avy favorites to capture this year's championship. Will the shortened season slow James' quest for a ring for yet another season?

Last year's playoff run was considered a failure by many LeBron haters and the residents of Cleveland. Yet "failure" is the wrong word to describe reaching the NBA Finals. This season, the Heat are looking very strong, having lost just one game. Yet the James-Wade led squad is aging. While last year wasn't a total waste of time, the clock is ticking for James and Bosh to win a ring. 

Unlike the "Big Three" from Boston, this one has several more seasons. With the addition of Norris Cole to the bench as a replacement for Mario Chalmers, the aspect of youth as been brought once again to the team. Not only has Cole played well for the Heat, but having the likes of Bosh, James and Wade influencing him in his rookie season will give him advantages in the long run against other from this year's draft class.

With both Wade and James not starting against the Hawks, the idea of a shortened season effecting the Heat is brought into the eyes of the players and fans. Wade with a sore foot and James with a bad left ankle means that their replacements will be several years older. With this condensed schedule meaning more games missed for the Heat's main guys, does this mean more losses? Will injuries ruin another season for James? 

Shortened Season Impact: 6/10

Unless he, Wade and Bosh stay injury free for the better part of the season and postseason, it will be the deciding factor. 

Conclusion

To summarize, the shortened season will have a large impact on the quality of play and the outcome of the season. Youth will triumph experience, and new contenders will rise. 

To recap the SSI, here is a list from greatest to least:

1. Dallas Mavericks: 9/10

2. Boston Celtics: 7/10

3. Miami Heat: 6/10

4. Chicago Bulls: 5/10

5. New York Knicks: 4/10

6. Oklahoma City Thunder: 1/10

I hope you enjoyed the article!