So upon further analysis, the news isn't all that great based on both home/away and strength of schedule. As you'll see in the table below, I separated the NBA teams into three tiers and two groups in each tier based upon current records. Won't elaborate, but I think it's pretty easy to see what my rationale was.
[TABLE="width: 700"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl71, width: 83, bgcolor: transparent"]Category
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl82, width: 215, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 3"]Tier 1
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl66, width: 215, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 3"]Tier 2
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl66, width: 215, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 3"]Tier 3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl92, width: 67, bgcolor: transparent"]Current
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl66, width: 141, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 3"]Games Remaining
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl72, bgcolor: transparent"]Count
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]=11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]6
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]=10
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]6
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]=9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl96, bgcolor: transparent"]Record
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl97, bgcolor: transparent"]Home
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl97, bgcolor: transparent"]Away
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]Total
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl74, bgcolor: transparent"]Teams
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl100, width: 75, bgcolor: transparent"]Ind, Mia, OKC, SA, Hou, LAC, Por
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl100, width: 75, bgcolor: transparent"]Dal, Pho, GS, Mem
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl81, width: 65, bgcolor: #e4dfec"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl100, width: 75, bgcolor: transparent"]Tor, Chic, Atl, Was, Bkn, Minn
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl100, width: 75, bgcolor: transparent"]Denver, NO, Cha, Detroit
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl101, width: 65, bgcolor: #daeef3"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl100, width: 75, bgcolor: transparent"]Utah, Sac, LAL, NY, Cle, Bos
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl100, width: 75, bgcolor: transparent"]Orl, Phi, Mil
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl76, width: 65, bgcolor: #ccff99"]Total
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl98, width: 67, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl73, width: 47, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl73, width: 47, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl90, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]Detroit
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]10
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]8
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]2
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]22-30
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]13
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]17
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]30
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]New York
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]8
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]2
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl87, bgcolor: #ccff99"]11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]20-32
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl78, bgcolor: #fcd5b4"]11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]19
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]30
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]Cleveland
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]10
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]8
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]20-33
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]14
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]29
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]Utah
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]6
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]13
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]8
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]19-33
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]30
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]Boston
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]10
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl84, bgcolor: #daeef3"]14
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]2
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]19-35
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]13
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]28
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]Sacramento
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]6
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]11
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]18-35
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]14
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]29
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]LA Lakers
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]12
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl83, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]17
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]2
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl99, bgcolor: #daeef3"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]2
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]18-35
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl79, bgcolor: #ffff99"]17
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]12
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]29
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]Orlando
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]2
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]12
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl75, bgcolor: #ccff99"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]16-38
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]13
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]28
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl67, bgcolor: transparent"]Philadelphia
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]6
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl80, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]6
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl77, bgcolor: #daeef3"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]3
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl87, bgcolor: #ccff99"]10
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl93, bgcolor: transparent"]15-39
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl69, bgcolor: transparent"]13
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl89, bgcolor: transparent"]28
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl68, bgcolor: transparent"]Milwaukee
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]7
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]1
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl85, bgcolor: #e4dfec"]8
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl86, bgcolor: #daeef3"]13
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]5
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]4
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl88, bgcolor: #ccff99"]9
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl94, bgcolor: transparent"]9-43
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl70, bgcolor: transparent"]15
[/TD]
[TD="class: xl91, bgcolor: transparent"]30
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Unfortunately, the EC vs EC cellar battles have pretty much played themselves out. Not a significant difference in the games the EC tankers play against each other compared to Lakers, Jazz and Kings.
My observations:
1. Detroit has two fewer home games than Utah, but a slightly easier schedule. With a 3 game lead, they should manage to hang on to the 10th spot.
2. NY is in bad shape in terms of home games, but has by far the easiest schedule. Too close to call at this point.
3. Cleveland has a fairly comparable schedules to the Jazz. Toss-up.
4. Boston has more games against the mid-tier teams, but two fewer home games. Slight edge to Boston for the tank.
5. Sacramento is 1 1/2 back, one less home game. Have to put Sac ahead in the tank race by the length of a gun barrel.
6. Lakers have the most home games left, but their schedule is BRUTAL! Think Utah over the first 15 games. LA could be in 3rd place by the time the season ends.
7. Orlando finishes 3rd or 4th.
8. Phildadelphia has an easier schedule, but not going to help Utah.
9. Milwaukee already guaranteed the most number combinations for the lottery.
Utah: Very remote chance of finishing #5. Most likely #8.