Toughest Stretches in the Brooklyn Nets' 2026-27 Season Schedule

The NBA schedules have been out for a few days, and it has become clear that of all 30 teams, the Brooklyn Nets may have the toughest of the bunch. They tied with the New Orleans Pelicans for the most back-to-back sets (16), and just two nationally televised games give them limited exposure.

That difficulty is largely due to the Nets still rebuilding, but even when taking a first look at their schedule, three stretches stand out as the toughest, leaving little room for error:

Opening Slate (10/24-11/2)

Opponents: Cavaliers (A), Pacers (H), Celtics (A), Pistons (H), Pacers (A), Knicks (A)

Nestled between two games against the Charlotte Hornets (one being the season opener), the Nets face some of the East's best in a combination of home and road matchups. This stretch starts and ends with back-to-back sets.

Four of the teams here were the top four seeds in the East last season, and the Indiana Pacers expect to get back in the playoff hunt with Tyrese Haliburton fully healthy.

If Brooklyn drops the season opener to Charlotte, there's a good chance the team starts 0-7. Squeezing just one or two wins out of this stretch would be a surprise.

Eastern Conference Road Trip (1/11-1/16)

Opponents (All Away): Pacers, Heat, 76ers, Celtics

In the middle of January, the Nets will have to play four road games in six days, starting with a back-to-back set against the Pacers and Miami Heat. Assuming Indiana returns to form this season, Brooklyn would be taking on four Eastern Conference playoff contenders.

Even if the Pacers are underwhelming, the Nets would still face Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum in a three-game stretch (health pending). Yikes.

Brooklyn's Final Home Stand (3/21-4/2)

Opponents (All Home): Kings, Celtics, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Cavaliers, Knicks

Maybe the totality of these opponents isn't eye-popping, but this is a stretch in which many teams are gunning for wins, whether to make the playoffs, improve seeding or lottery odds (given the draft reform).

Something to note: the Nets will play their final back-to-back home set on March 28 against the Memphis Grizzlies, followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers coming to town.

With the Celtics, Nuggets, Cavaliers and Knicks all looking to return to or enter the title conversation, Brooklyn will get some of the league's best with a small gap featuring two bottom feeders. If the Nets are somehow in the postseason hunt, this stretch would still significantly damage their chances.

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