The NBA has made numerous changes over the last several years to reduce schedule-related wear-and-tear on its players. The league has cut down on back-to-backs and on instances of teams playing four games in five nights, while coaches and organizations have been proactive about resting players on back-to-backs when they’re banged up or nursing a nagging injury.
According to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the league may not be done making tweaks to its schedule, either.
Silver told Sam Amick of USA Today that the league is not only considering adding intercontinental teams should air travel become faster and more efficient, but the league also may consider reducing the numbers of games it plays in order to facilitate such a massive change:
“There’s nothing magical about 82 games,” Silver continued.