How Do NBA Players Travel?

How do NBA players travel? It’s a question we get a lot, and it’s one that has a bit of a complicated answer. In short, NBA players travel a lot, and they have to be very careful about how they do it.

How NBA Players Travel

NBA players have to travel a lot. In fact, they have to travel more than any other professional athlete. They have to travel to different cities to play 82 regular season games and they also have to travel for the playoffs. So, how do they travel?

By Plane

Most NBA teams fly commercial — albeit first class — to road games, as do most other professional sports teams in the U.S. The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the few teams that have their own plane, which they share with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

But even commercial flights can be luxurious. For example, the Miami Heat fly on a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 that has been reconfigured with just 32 seats, eight of which are fully reclining business-class seats and 24 premium economy seats. First-class and business-class seats on commercial airlines are typically 21 inches wide, with about 38 inches of pitch (the distance from one seat to the identical spot on the seat in front of or behind it). The premium economy seats on the Heat plane have wider armrests and are 19 inches wide with 34 inches of pitch.

By Bus

The bus is by far the most common way for NBA teams to travel. In fact, every team except the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, who both have their own planes, take the bus to at least some away games.

There are a few reasons for this. First, buses are much cheaper than planes. Second, they allow for more flexibility in terms of scheduling and itinerary. And finally, they’re more comfortable than planes, especially for players who are 6’10” or taller.

On a typical NBA road trip, teams will take two or three buses. One will be for the players, one for the coaches and staff, and one for the equipment. The players’ bus will usually have reclining seats and plenty of legroom. And there’s always a TV on board so players can relax and watch movies or play video games.

How the NBA Schedules Travel

The NBA has a very complex schedule that takes into account a lot of different factors. One of the most important factors is travel. The NBA tries to minimize the amount of travel that players have to do, but it is not always possible. In this article, we will take a look at how NBA players travel and how the NBA schedules travel.

Longest Road Trips

In an 82-game season, every team will have to endure at least one long road trip. Here are the five longest trips any team will make during the 2019-20 season:

Oklahoma City Thunder – 7 games
The Thunder will start their trip with four games against the Eastern Conference, taking on the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, and Charlotte Hornets. They’ll then head to the West Coast for three games against the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Minnesota Timberwolves – 7 games
The Timberwolves’ trip starts with a four-game swing through the Southeast, taking on the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat,Atlanta Hawks, and Charlotte Hornets. They’ll then head out West for three games against the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz.

Boston Celtics – 6 games
The Celtics will start their trip with a four-game Western swing, taking on the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers. They’ll finish up with a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers.

Los Angeles Clippers – 6 games
The Clippers will start their trip with a pair of games against teams from Texas, taking on the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. They’ll then head out East for four games against the Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Dallas Mavericks.

Back-to-Backs

The most common type of travel in the NBA is the back-to-back. This is when a team plays two games in two nights, with one game at home and one game on the road. For example, a team might play at home on Friday night, then travel to another city to play Saturday night.

players will often fly out after the game to meet up with their team for the next game. This means that they might not get back to their own homes until very late at night or early the next morning.

To make sure that players are rested and ready to play, teams will sometimes schedule what is known as a “rest day” between games. This is when players will have the day off from practice or any other type of activity related to basketball. They will use this time to travel to the city where their next game will be played, and they will usually have time to rest and recover before having to play again.

How Players Prepare for Travel

In order to travel the long distances between home and away games, NBA players have to be very strategic. They have to take into account the time difference, the food, the beds, and the crowd. All of these things can have an impact on how well a player performs. Players have to be very careful about what they eat and how they sleep in order to be at their best for the game.

Packing

When packing for an away game, players have to be mindful of the length of the trip, the weather at their destination, and what type of activities they will be doing while they are there. They also have to make sure they have everything they need to be able to do their job on the court.

For shorter trips, players will pack a carry-on bag with their essentials. This includes a change of clothes, toiletries, their basketball shoes, and any other necessary items. If they are traveling to a city with cooler weather, they may also pack a jacket.

For longer trips, players will pack a larger suitcase with enough clothes to last them for the entire trip. They will also include their carry-on items, as well as any other items they might need, such as extra shoes or an exercise band.

Players also have to remember to pack their passports and boarding passes when traveling internationally.

Resting

Most NBA players will take a nap on the plane, which is tough to do when you’re 6’8”. “You kind of have to get comfortable,” says Green. That means finding a way to recline your seat without putting your feet up on the armrest and leaning into the aisle (a no-no). The perfect way to sleep on a plane, according to Green? “With a pillow over your eyes so people don’t know you’re sleeping.”

Other players have different methods. Warriors guard Klay Thompson likes to put his noise-cancelling headphones on and listen to music or watch movies. Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins prefers magazines (he’s currently reading Us Weekly) or books (he’s re-reading “The 5 Love Languages”).

How Players Deal with Time Change

The NBA is a global league with players coming from all over the world. When these players travel, they have to deal with time changes that can mess with their bodies. This can be a difficult adjustment, but there are a few things that players do to try and make it easier on themselves. Let’s take a look at how NBA players travel.

Adjusting to New Time Zones

The day before a west coast game, many players will take a nap on the plane in order to be rested for the game that night. Once they arrive at their destination, they try to stay up as late as possible to adjust to the new time zone. Players will often take a second nap later in the day in order to be well rested for the game.

During the season, players will also take advantage of any opportunity to get rest. For example, if they have back-to-back games and they are playing the second game on the road, they will often times fly home after the first game and sleep in their own beds. This allows them to get needed rest without having to travel and adjust to a new time zone.

Staying Up Late

Many players say that the key to dealing with a time change is to stay up late the night before a game. This allows their bodies to slowly adjust to the new time zone. For example, if a team is playing a game at 10 p.m. local time in Los Angeles, but the game is taking place at 7 p.m. in New York, the players will try to stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. Pacific Time so that they are bodies are more in sync with Eastern Time.

Of course, this isn’t always possible, and sometimes players have to take naps before games. Naps can be helpful, but they can also make it difficult for players to fall asleep at their normal bedtimes, which can further throw off their sleep schedules.

How Players Handle Homesickness

Being an NBA player is a lot of work. Not only do you have to be great at your sport, but you also have to travel a lot. This can be tough for some players who are homesick. In this article, we’ll talk about how NBA players travel and how they handle homesickness.

Staying Connected with Family

There are a lot of ways that players stay connected with their families while they are on the road. Many players will FaceTime or Skype with their wives and kids every day, whether it’s first thing in the morning or right before bed. Most teams also have a travel schedule that includes at least one day off for each player, which they can use to fly home and spend time with their families.

Players also stay in touch with their families by sending texts, emails and social media messages. And when they are on the road, they make sure to keep up with what’s going on at home by watching TV, reading the news and checking social media.

Of course, homesickness is still a reality for many players, especially when they are younger or have young families. But there are a lot of ways that players can combat homesickness, including staying busy with team activities, exploring the city they are in and spending time with their teammates.

Creating a Home Away from Home

players face during the season is homesickness. For many of them, it’s the first time they’re living on their own and they’re away from their families for long stretches of time. Even though they’re living the dream of playing in the NBA, it can be tough to be away from home.

One way that players combat homesickness is by creating a home away from home, whether that’s in their hotel room or at the arena. They bring pictures of loved ones, keep familiar items with them and make sure to stay in touch through technology and social media.

Another way to combat homesickness is to track where you’ve been and where you’re going. A routine can help players feel more settled even when they’re on the road. Knowing when you have games and practices, as well as time off, can help create a sense of normalcy.

It can also be helpful to connect with other people who are going through similar experiences. Finding a community, whether that’s within your team or elsewhere, can make all the difference when you’re feeling lonely or homesick.

No matter what strategy you use, homesickness is normal and there are ways to manage it.