The NBA will reportedly reduce the number of back-to-backs – especially around nationally televised games.

That won’t help the help the Rockets, who open with a nationally televised game at the Warriors on Oct. 17 then will reportedly play at the Kings the next night.

Carmichael Dave of KHTK Sports 1140:

It was unclear whether the NBA was prioritizing rest days on both sides of nationally televised games or just before. If the latter, teams might still rest players during nationally televised games to save the players for the following night. (New rest rules will create complications, though we’ll have to see precisely what those are.)

Houston obviously won’t rest anyone the first game of the season. And it’s probably too early to sit anyone in Sacramento. Even if the Rockets gave someone a night off against the Kings – even if it’s James Harden or Chris Paul – at least that game isn’t nationally televised.

But this provides a clue of how the schedule, which will be released at 6 tonight, will be crafted.

On the bright side for Houston, the Rockets (and Warriors, Cavaliers and Celtics) will fit 82 games in 177 days. Nearly everyone else will cram 82 games into 176 days – or fewer. That’s a small difference, but those add up.