NBA Schedule Preview: Which Teams Have the Easiest Week Ahead

Well folks, the 2010-2011 NBA season is officially underway.  And whether your team has burst out of the gate on all cylinders, or is struggling, you can take solace in one simple fact—it could be worse.  You could be a Buffalo Bills fan.  

With that said, many teams with new faces are still building team unity.  Because of this, one could argue that schedules are more important now than ever.  And obviously, it's easier to build team morale when your team is winning.

It is also easier to build team morale when you're playing your best player more than 27 minutes a night (cough, Kurt Rambis, cough).

All jokes about the NBA's worst coach aside, let's look at this week's schedule and see who will have it the easiest.

5. Boston Celtics

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

CLEVELAND - OCTOBER 27: Paul Pierce #24 of the Boston Celtics tries to keep the ball from going out of bounds in front of Antawn Jamison #4 at Quicken Loans Arena on October 27, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won the game 95-87. (Photo by Gregory Sha

Upcoming Schedule:  @ Detroit (Tuesday), Milwaukee (Wednesday), Chicago (Friday)

Combined Record:  2-6

With Boston's only tough game on the docket being at home (yes, offense intended Bucks fans), an undefeated week should be within the Celtics reach.  Although, if their showing in the second night of last week's back-to-back (an embarrassing loss to the Cavs) and the team's recent history of back-to-back struggles* are any indication of future performance, Bucks fans could very well be crowing after an upset victory on the Celtics' home floor.

Week Record prediction:  2-1

*mainly due to age and the limiting of Garnett's minutes

4. Orlando Magic

Marc Serota/Getty Images

MIAMI - OCTOBER 29: Center Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic dunks against forward Chris Bosh #1 of the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on October 29, 2010 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by down

Upcoming Games:  @ NY Knicks (Tuesday), Minnesota (Wednesday), New Jersey (Friday), @Charlotte (Saturday)

Combined Record:  4-8

Orlando's embarrassingly weak upcoming schedule would rank higher on this list if it weren't for the fact that the Magic have to play two back-to-back home-road/road-home games this week (a tough feat even for a relatively young team). 

As for those in weekly fantasy leagues (such as ESPN.com's Basketball Challenge), Dwight Howard should be a fantastic player this week, with nothing resembling a front-line stopper on the schedule. 

Before you start crying Nets fans, I love Brook Lopez.  I think he's one of the top four centers in the league.  He's just not a good defender against bigs like Howard, yet.

Week Record Prediction:  3-1 (expect a loss Saturday at Charlotte)

3. Miami Heat

Marc Serota/Getty Images

MIAMI - OCTOBER 29: Guard Dwyane Wade #3, forward Chris Bosh #1 and forward LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat take on the Orlando Magic at American Airlines Arena on October 29, 2010 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agree

Upcoming Games: Minnesota (Tuesday), @ New Orleans (Friday), New Jersey (Saturday)

Combined Record:  6-3

After a horribly sloppy performance in a loss to the Boston Celtics on opening night, Miami Thrice is seemingly hitting on all cylinders, winning their next three games by a combined 59 points.  And with their schedule being relatively easy (despite the misleading combined record of their opponents), Miami's roll should continue this week. 

Heat fans really should have just one wish heading into this week and the rest of the season—that LeBron and Wade find a way to both play well on the same night.  So far it hasn't happened.  Could be a problem headed forward if the trend continues. 

Week Record Prediction:  3-0

2. Utah Jazz

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PHOENIX - OCTOBER 12: Andrei Kirilenko #47 of the Utah Jazz slam dunks the ball during the preseason NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on October 12, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that

Upcoming Games:  Toronto (Wednesday), @ Golden State (Friday), LA Clippers (Saturday)

Combined Record: 3-5

Following a puzzling 0-2 start, the Jazz seemingly righted the ship last night with a 120-99 thrashing of the Thunder in Oklahoma City.  And this week's soft schedule puts the Al Jefferson-Deron Williams marriage in an auspicious position for success this week. 

In other news, am I the only one who looked at this picture and thought that either A.) this was an incredibly lifelike Andrei Kirilenko wax mannequin or B.) the cameraman just accidentally captured Kirilenko's "O Face" ?

Let's just hope it's not the latter.

Week Record Projection:  3-0

1. Atlanta Hawks

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 21: Jeff Teague #0 of the Atlanta Hawks against the Miami Heat at Philips Arena on October 21, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Upcoming Games:  @ Cleveland (Tuesday), Pistons (Wednesday), @ Minnesota (Friday)

Combined Record:  2-7

When looking at the schedule, it's insanely obvious that the already 3-0 Atlanta Hawks should end up finishing the first two weeks of the NBA season 6-0.  Coming from someone who picked the Hawks to precipitously fall from their grace in the upper crust of the Eastern Conference, mainly because of their total lack of cohesiveness, their cakewalk of an early-season schedule certainly could go a long way to me having to stick a foot squarely in my mouth. 

In other news, I'm hopping on Bill Simmons' #freekevinlove bandwagon.  Something coming on that later this week.

Week Record Prediction:  3-0