There are usually “light” NBA nights or weeks because of how the league spaces games for travel, TV, and special dates on the calendar. On some weeks, the schedule clusters games on certain days (like big national TV nights) and leaves other days much emptier.
Main reasons
- The NBA avoids stacking too many back‑to‑backs and long road trips, so some teams end up with mini breaks while others play more often, creating stretches where the overall slate is thin.
- National TV partners get priority slots on certain nights, so the league builds heavy schedules around those windows and lighter ones elsewhere in the week.
- Around special events (like major holidays, in‑season tournaments, or other leagues’ big days), the NBA sometimes reduces the number of games to avoid conflicts and maximize viewership on a few marquee matchups.
So if this week feels empty, it is almost always due to a mix of TV scheduling, arena availability, and the effort to balance rest and travel across the season, not because anything is wrong with the season itself.
