Hoops Nightly
Our own play-by-play · 2025-26 and 2026-27 · rest and travel

The Second Night

What a back-to-back does

On the second night of a back-to-back, NBA teams win 47.6% against rested opponents. The damage comes early: they shoot 0.8 points worse from the field in the first half and 0.2 better in the second. It's a slow start, not dead legs.

47.6%win rate on the second night against a rested team (332 games)
  1. −1.0Q1 FG%
  2. −0.6Q2 FG%
  3. +0.4Q3 FG%
  4. −0.1Q4 FG%

The four nights

Every regular-season game in 2025-26 and 2026-27, split by who had rest. Home court is in all four buckets.

Bottom lineA tired team beats a rested one 47.6% of the time; flip it, and the rested team wins 52.4%.

How to read this chart
The four cards
every game sorted by rest: a tired team (second game in two nights) against a rested one, both tired, both rested, and a rested team against a tired one.
The number and bar
the win rate of the first team named. The white tick in the middle of the bar is 50%, a coin flip.
Why two say 50%
when both teams are in the same situation, one wins and one loses, so the rate is always exactly half.
  1. Tired vs rested47.6%332 games
  2. Both on a back-to-back50.0%160 games · always 50% by definition
  3. Both rested50.0%1880 games · always 50% by definition
  4. Rested vs tired52.4%332 games

The hangover, minute by minute

The average scoreboard for the tired team against a rested one, every minute of regulation, across 328 games we rebuilt from the play-by-play.

Bottom lineOn average the tired team is at its worst at minute 35, 2.0 points behind, and finishes −2.0.

How to read this chart
Left to right
the 48 minutes of a regular game, split into four quarters.
Up and down
the tired team's average score margin at that minute. The bold zero line is a tied game; below it the tired team is behind.
The two dots
the lowest point of the curve and where it ends at the final buzzer. Hover or tap a minute for its exact value.
QUARTER 1QUARTER 2QUARTER 3QUARTER 4-2-10+1-2.0 at 35'final −2.0Minute 0: +0.00 pointsMinute 1: −0.18 pointsMinute 2: −0.43 pointsMinute 3: −0.27 pointsMinute 4: −0.63 pointsMinute 5: −0.77 pointsMinute 6: −0.73 pointsMinute 7: −0.60 pointsMinute 8: −0.58 pointsMinute 9: −0.55 pointsMinute 10: −0.39 pointsMinute 11: −0.51 pointsMinute 12: −0.49 pointsMinute 13: −0.42 pointsMinute 14: −0.44 pointsMinute 15: −0.41 pointsMinute 16: −0.67 pointsMinute 17: −0.56 pointsMinute 18: −0.47 pointsMinute 19: −0.66 pointsMinute 20: −0.68 pointsMinute 21: −1.01 pointsMinute 22: −1.09 pointsMinute 23: −1.38 pointsMinute 24: −1.38 pointsMinute 25: −1.34 pointsMinute 26: −1.29 pointsMinute 27: −1.42 pointsMinute 28: −1.72 pointsMinute 29: −1.74 pointsMinute 30: −1.54 pointsMinute 31: −1.35 pointsMinute 32: −1.43 pointsMinute 33: −1.75 pointsMinute 34: −1.76 pointsMinute 35: −2.00 pointsMinute 36: −1.86 pointsMinute 37: −1.82 pointsMinute 38: −1.84 pointsMinute 39: −1.82 pointsMinute 40: −1.96 pointsMinute 41: −1.70 pointsMinute 42: −1.60 pointsMinute 43: −1.61 pointsMinute 44: −1.70 pointsMinute 45: −1.80 pointsMinute 46: −1.77 pointsMinute 47: −1.80 pointsMinute 48: −1.97 pointsMINUTES PLAYEDQ1Q2Q3Q4-20-2.0 at 35'final −2.0Minute 0: +0.00 pointsMinute 1: −0.18 pointsMinute 2: −0.43 pointsMinute 3: −0.27 pointsMinute 4: −0.63 pointsMinute 5: −0.77 pointsMinute 6: −0.73 pointsMinute 7: −0.60 pointsMinute 8: −0.58 pointsMinute 9: −0.55 pointsMinute 10: −0.39 pointsMinute 11: −0.51 pointsMinute 12: −0.49 pointsMinute 13: −0.42 pointsMinute 14: −0.44 pointsMinute 15: −0.41 pointsMinute 16: −0.67 pointsMinute 17: −0.56 pointsMinute 18: −0.47 pointsMinute 19: −0.66 pointsMinute 20: −0.68 pointsMinute 21: −1.01 pointsMinute 22: −1.09 pointsMinute 23: −1.38 pointsMinute 24: −1.38 pointsMinute 25: −1.34 pointsMinute 26: −1.29 pointsMinute 27: −1.42 pointsMinute 28: −1.72 pointsMinute 29: −1.74 pointsMinute 30: −1.54 pointsMinute 31: −1.35 pointsMinute 32: −1.43 pointsMinute 33: −1.75 pointsMinute 34: −1.76 pointsMinute 35: −2.00 pointsMinute 36: −1.86 pointsMinute 37: −1.82 pointsMinute 38: −1.84 pointsMinute 39: −1.82 pointsMinute 40: −1.96 pointsMinute 41: −1.70 pointsMinute 42: −1.60 pointsMinute 43: −1.61 pointsMinute 44: −1.70 pointsMinute 45: −1.80 pointsMinute 46: −1.77 pointsMinute 47: −1.80 pointsMinute 48: −1.97 pointsMINUTES PLAYED

Quarter by quarter

Field-goal percentage by quarter, tired against rested, from 239,818 shots.

Bottom lineTired teams shoot −1.0 in the first quarter and −0.1 in the fourth, compared with rested opponents.

How to read this chart
Two bars per quarter
gray is the rested team's field-goal percentage (share of shots made), purple the tired team's; purple turns red when the tired team shoots worse.
The bars start at 40%
so small gaps are visible; read the printed percentages, not the bar length alone.
The big number
the gap in percentage points, tired minus rested.
  1. Q1
    47.4%46.4%
    −1.0rested · tired
  2. Q2
    47.0%46.5%
    −0.6rested · tired
  3. Q3
    47.6%48.0%
    +0.4rested · tired
  4. Q4
    46.1%46.0%
    −0.1rested · tired

Bottom linePascal Siakam sat 7 of 12 second nights; Matas Buzelis loses the most shooting, −12.6 true shooting.

How to read the two player lists
Two thin bars
under each name, purple is the second night of a back-to-back, gray is every other game.
Who sits
the big number is the share of second nights he missed; the gray bar is how often he misses other games.
Shooters
the big number is the change in true shooting (a shooting percentage that counts threes and free throws) on second nights, in percentage points.

Who sits the second night

Players averaging 20+ minutes who miss back-to-back second nights far more often than other games. At least 10 second nights each.

  1. Pascal Siakam
    Pascal SiakamIND · sat 7 of 12 second nights · 12.5% of other games
    58%
  2. Mark Williams
    Mark WilliamsPHX · sat 10 of 16 second nights · 17.2% of other games
    63%
  3. Andrew Nembhard
    Andrew NembhardIND · sat 7 of 12 second nights · 17.7% of other games
    58%
  4. Jalen Suggs
    Jalen SuggsORL · sat 9 of 14 second nights · 23.9% of other games
    64%
  5. Darius Garland
    Darius GarlandCLE · sat 6 of 11 second nights · 14.9% of other games
    55%
  6. Klay Thompson
    Klay ThompsonDAL · sat 7 of 15 second nights · 9.1% of other games
    47%
  7. Khris Middleton
    Khris MiddletonWAS · sat 7 of 14 second nights · 14.1% of other games
    50%
  8. RJ Barrett
    RJ BarrettTOR · sat 9 of 15 second nights · 24.2% of other games
    60%
  9. Daniel Gafford
    Daniel GaffordDAL · sat 7 of 13 second nights · 18.3% of other games
    54%
  10. Joel Embiid
    Joel EmbiidPHI · sat 12 of 15 second nights · 46.0% of other games
    80%

Shooters who fade

True shooting on second nights against all other games. At least 10 second nights and 120 shots in them.

  1. Matas Buzelis
    Matas BuzelisCHI · 48.2% TS on 15 second nights · 60.8% otherwise
    −12.6
  2. Max Christie
    Max ChristieDAL · 50.0% TS on 15 second nights · 60.6% otherwise
    −10.6
  3. Jaylen Wells
    Jaylen WellsMEM · 48.8% TS on 11 second nights · 58.3% otherwise
    −9.5
  4. Jarace Walker
    Jarace WalkerIND · 46.8% TS on 15 second nights · 55.6% otherwise
    −8.8
  5. Jaylen Brown
    Jaylen BrownPHI · 49.6% TS on 12 second nights · 58.3% otherwise
    −8.7
  6. Dylan Harper
    Dylan HarperSAS · 51.5% TS on 17 second nights · 60.0% otherwise
    −8.4
  7. Brandon Ingram
    Brandon IngramTOR · 51.5% TS on 13 second nights · 58.7% otherwise
    −7.2
  8. Derrick White
    Derrick WhiteBOS · 47.6% TS on 14 second nights · 54.2% otherwise
    −6.6

…and the ones who don't

  1. Daniss Jenkins
    Daniss JenkinsDET · 67.5% TS on 15 second nights · 50.2% otherwise
    +17.4
  2. Bub Carrington
    Bub CarringtonWAS · 64.9% TS on 18 second nights · 52.9% otherwise
    +12.0
  3. Kyle Filipowski
    Kyle FilipowskiUTA · 66.2% TS on 16 second nights · 56.2% otherwise
    +10.0
  4. Keldon Johnson
    Keldon JohnsonSAS · 67.3% TS on 18 second nights · 58.3% otherwise
    +9.1
  5. 19
    Ace BaileyUTA · 60.4% TS on 14 second nights · 51.4% otherwise
    +9.0
  6. Toumani Camara
    Toumani CamaraPOR · 65.8% TS on 16 second nights · 57.0% otherwise
    +8.8
  7. Julian Champagnie
    Julian ChampagnieSAS · 67.5% TS on 18 second nights · 59.7% otherwise
    +7.8
  8. Jared McCain
    Jared McCainOKC · 59.8% TS on 15 second nights · 52.1% otherwise
    +7.8

Every team on no rest

Record on the second night of a back-to-back against the record with rest, 2025-26 and 2026-27.

Bottom lineThe Pistons handle it best (14-2 on second nights); the Nets worst (1-16).

How to read this chart
The colored bar
the team's win rate on second nights.
The white tick
its win rate with rest. A bar that stops short of the tick means the team drops off when tired.
Record and gap
second-night wins-losses, then the gap between the two rates in percentage points.
  1. Pistons14-2+17.2
  2. Spurs15-3+8.0
  3. 76ers13-5+19.4
  4. Lakers12-5+3.9
  5. Heat13-6+20.5
  6. Hornets12-6+20.1
  7. Nuggets11-6−2.0
  8. Trail Blazers10-6+11.8
  9. Knicks9-6−4.9
  10. Magic9-6+10.0
  11. Celtics9-6−13.3
  12. Rockets9-7−10.4
  13. Thunder9-7−25.7
  14. Jazz8-8+31.1
  15. Cavaliers8-8−15.3
  16. Hawks8-8−7.9
  17. Timberwolves8-8−12.7
  18. Suns8-9−7.1
  19. Warriors8-10−4.2
  20. Bucks7-9+10.0
  21. Raptors6-10−20.6
  22. Mavericks6-11−1.2
  23. Kings4-10+3.6
  24. Pelicans5-13−6.5
  25. Grizzlies4-11−8.0
  26. Clippers4-12−28.4
  27. Pacers3-12−3.7
  28. Bulls3-12−17.8
  29. Wizards2-16−13.5
  30. Nets1-16−22.9

Second-night win rate Win rate with rest

Numbers to quoteFree to cite with a link · as of Mon, Nov 9
  1. 47.6%

    NBA teams on the second night of a back-to-back won 47.6% of 332 games against rested opponents in 2025-26 and 2026-27, per Hoops Nightly.

  2. −1.0 pts

    The back-to-back hangover shows up early: tired NBA teams shoot 1.0 points worse from the field in the first quarter, and 0.1 points worse in the fourth.

  3. -2.0

    On the second night of a back-to-back against a rested team, the tired team trails by 2.0 points on average at its low point, minute 35, across 328 games tracked minute by minute.

30 rows · 2026-11-09
Writing about this? Free to reuse, also commercially, with a credit. CC BY 4.0 Data licenseSource: Hoops Nightly, The Second Night (as of Mon, Nov 9): https://hoopsnightly.com/second-night (CC BY 4.0)

More from our own data

What to keep in mind

  • A back-to-back is a game with zero full days of rest before it, counted from the schedule. The first game of a season has no rest figure and is left out.
  • Teams on a back-to-back are on the road more often, so part of the gap is travel and home court, not only fatigue.
  • The minute-by-minute curve uses the games we have rebuilt from the play-by-play, which can be fewer than the season total while the archive fills in.
  • Players who sit on second nights may be resting by plan or nursing an injury; the box score does not say which.

Full method · Rest and travel · The Report Card