NBA Schedule 2011-12: 5 Teams with the Easiest Schedules This Season

The 2011-12 NBA schedule was released and NBA fans have something to be excited about.

There will be a ton of basketball jammed into the 66-game schedule. Back-to-backs will be nothing uncommon and every team will face one back-to-back-to-back situation during the season; including the Los Angeles Lakers, who have to do it the first three games of the season.

The biggest thing about the schedule is that there won't be the traditional home-and-home situations against teams from the other conference. Instead of playing 30 total non-conference games, teams will play every team once, but only three teams twice.

That creates an unbalanced schedule, but given the situation, it is what it is. Some teams are going to have it easier than others, though.

Let's take a look at the five easiest schedules in the NBA this season.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers barely sneaked into the playoffs a season ago and have an advantage in the fact that their three non-conference opponents that they will see twice are Golden State, New Orleans and Minnesota. All three teams missed the playoffs last season.

Compare that to a team like Miami that has to double up against the Lakers, Mavericks and Thunder and the Pacers have one of the easier schedules around.

It may get easier as well if the Hornets end up dealing Chris Paul.

Golden State

In Mark Jackson's first season on the bench in Golden State, the Warriors catch a break by not having to play the elite of the Eastern Conference twice.

Instead, they double up against Indiana, New Jersey and Philadelphia

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs won 61 games last season and catch a break with their schedule this year, having to play Orlando, Philadelphia and Cleveland twice, avoiding an extra matchup with the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls were the top team in the Eastern Conference a season ago, and the schedule-makers were very kind to them.

Chicago gets to see New Orleans, Sacramento and Memphis twice. Those three teams combined to average 39 wins a season ago.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets may be one big man away from contending for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and the schedule looks favorable, including only having to match up twice against Washington, Charlotte and Toronto from the East.