Loading
How road trips and travel distance affect performance. West Coast teams log the most miles — does it show in the standings?
| # | Team | Miles/Yr | Road W% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland Trail Blazers | 52K | 23.8% |
| 2 | Golden State Warriors | 50K | 46.2% |
| 3 | Utah Jazz | 50K | 30.9% |
| 4 | Sacramento Kings | 49K | 48.8% |
| 5 | Phoenix Suns | 48K | 51.6% |
| 6 | Denver Nuggets | 47K | 56.9% |
| 7 | Los Angeles Clippers | 46K | 53% |
| 8 | Los Angeles Lakers | 46K | 50.2% |
| 9 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 44K | 55.6% |
| 10 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 43K | 69.7% |
| 11 | Toronto Raptors | 42K | 32.2% |
| 12 | Dallas Mavericks | 42K | 54.3% |
| 13 | San Antonio Spurs | 42K | 28.1% |
| 14 | Miami Heat | 41K | 50.1% |
| 15 | New Orleans Pelicans | 41K | 47.6% |
| 16 | Houston Rockets | 41K | 38.9% |
| 17 | Boston Celtics | 40K | 62.5% |
| 18 | Memphis Grizzlies | 40K | 37.6% |
| 19 | Orlando Magic | 40K | 53% |
| 20 | Milwaukee Bucks | 39K | 54.2% |
| 21 | Atlanta Hawks | 39K | 44.8% |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | 38K | 40.5% |
| 23 | Charlotte Hornets | 38K | 23.7% |
| 24 | Detroit Pistons | 38K | 21.1% |
| 25 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 38K | 64.2% |
| 26 | Indiana Pacers | 37K | 54.4% |
| 27 | Washington Wizards | 37K | 16.8% |
| 28 | Philadelphia 76ers | 37K | 45.9% |
| 29 | New York Knicks | 36K | 61.4% |
| 30 | Brooklyn Nets | 36K | 30.9% |
Download travel impact analysis.
NBA teams travel an average of 40,000-50,000 miles per season. West Coast teams, especially Portland and Golden State, consistently log the most miles due to geographic isolation from Eastern Conference opponents. Research suggests that each additional 1,000 miles of travel correlates with a roughly 0.1-0.2% decrease in win probability.
Time zone changes are particularly impactful. Teams traveling eastward experience worse sleep disruption than those going west, consistent with circadian rhythm research. The NBA scheduling office attempts to mitigate this with rest days, but back-to-back games combined with long flights remain a significant challenge. Home court advantage partially exists because of these travel burdens.
West Coast teams like Portland, Golden State, and Sacramento consistently log the most miles. Teams in the Pacific and Northwest divisions face the longest cross-country trips.
Studies show travel reduces shooting percentage by 1-2%, increases turnovers, and reduces defensive efficiency. The effect is amplified when teams cross multiple time zones or play on consecutive nights.
No. All NBA teams fly chartered planes with customized seating, meal services, and recovery equipment. Despite this luxury, jet lag and disrupted sleep patterns still affect performance.