Time zones and tiredness strongly influence NBA results

[Uncle Mxy]

I wonder if this can be quantified in a way other than win %.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240501091642.htm

The body clock has a significant impact on the performance of NBA players. Data shows vastly better win ratio for home teams from the Western Time Zone Area (PDT) when playing an EDT team, compared to vice versa.

[wegotthabeet]

I wonder if this can be quantified in a way other than win %.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240501091642.htm

The body clock has a significant impact on the performance of NBA players. Data shows vastly better win ratio for home teams from the Western Time Zone Area (PDT) when playing an EDT team, compared to vice versa.

personally i find that it's much more taxing to travel east than west, but my schedule isn't nearly as regimented as a pro athlete's.

the findings make sense because if an Eastern Conference player is accustomed to sleeping at 11:30 PM, when playing on the west coast they would be playing at that same time turned to their respective internal clock back home.

so west coast teams have an advantage here. especially in the Finals.

[toooskies]

I wonder if this can be quantified in a way other than win %.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240501091642.htm

The body clock has a significant impact on the performance of NBA players. Data shows vastly better win ratio for home teams from the Western Time Zone Area (PDT) when playing an EDT team, compared to vice versa.

personally i find that it's much more taxing to travel east than west, but my schedule isn't nearly as regimented as a pro athlete's.

the findings make sense because if an Eastern Conference player is accustomed to sleeping at 11:30 PM, when playing on the west coast they would be playing at that same time turned to their respective internal clock back home.

so west coast teams have an advantage here. especially in the Finals.

I don't think NBA players go to sleep at 11:30pm.

[wegotthabeet]

I wonder if this can be quantified in a way other than win %.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240501091642.htm

personally i find that it's much more taxing to travel east than west, but my schedule isn't nearly as regimented as a pro athlete's.

the findings make sense because if an Eastern Conference player is accustomed to sleeping at 11:30 PM, when playing on the west coast they would be playing at that same time turned to their respective internal clock back home.

so west coast teams have an advantage here. especially in the Finals.

I don't think NBA players go to sleep at 11:30pm.

That was just a hypothetical time.

Should have just said whatever time they regularly go to sleep.

[Colbinii]

I wonder if this can be quantified in a way other than win %.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240501091642.htm

personally i find that it's much more taxing to travel east than west, but my schedule isn't nearly as regimented as a pro athlete's.

the findings make sense because if an Eastern Conference player is accustomed to sleeping at 11:30 PM, when playing on the west coast they would be playing at that same time turned to their respective internal clock back home.

so west coast teams have an advantage here. especially in the Finals.

I don't think NBA players go to sleep at 11:30pm.

That's not the relevant point. The point is most NBA players are winding down their day around that time, when playing on the West Coast requires them to still ramp with energy until 2-3 more hours.

[toooskies]

personally i find that it's much more taxing to travel east than west, but my schedule isn't nearly as regimented as a pro athlete's.

the findings make sense because if an Eastern Conference player is accustomed to sleeping at 11:30 PM, when playing on the west coast they would be playing at that same time turned to their respective internal clock back home.

so west coast teams have an advantage here. especially in the Finals.

I don't think NBA players go to sleep at 11:30pm.

That's not the relevant point. The point is most NBA players are winding down their day around that time, when playing on the West Coast requires them to still ramp with energy until 2-3 more hours.

Are they? NBA players often go out to dinner after their games, if not head out on the town. Many players take naps in the middle of the afternoon, meaning they're not even winding down. These guys are trained to perform optimally at night.

They also have the advantage of knowing the season schedule well in advance to adjust your days in advance, and often a team's faraway road games are consecutive, meaning you only have to shift your body clock once or twice a year.

I often think that weekend playing schedules where you play early in the afternoon are the much harder games to play, particularly for a west-coast team heading east. But even for east coast teams that might have noon tipoffs.