Rest-Day Efficiency and What it Means for the Orlando Magic in the 2009-2010 Regular Season

Rest.

For the Orlando Magic, too much rest was a problem for the team this past season. The statement may seem paradoxical in nature, but it makes sense when one thinks about it. One hears concepts of game rhythm and such, and in this case, when the Magic aren't playing games for an extended period of time, it's detrimental to the team. How much rest was too much rest? Three or more days. 

A few times at Third Quarter Collapse, we have referred to the rest day efficiency statistic in an attempt to ascertain how beneficial it is for the Magic to have days off in between games, and according to the numbers at NBAstuffer.com this past season, Orlando ranked 27th in efficiency differential with three or more days rest. In other rest day scenarios, the Magic's statistical production didn't dip dramatically.

With the backdrop set, here's a look at how Orlando's schedule will shape up for the 2009-2010 regular season, in accordance to how many days rest the team will receive. A rundown of how the Magic performed statistically last year will coincide with the breakdown, to provide a reference. It is fair to note that the results from this past season and this upcoming season will be different, but it doesn't hurt to get a rough idea (likewise, it is fair to note that some of the sample sizes are small).

With a new roster and a new season, perhaps things change. 

Or maybe the more things change, the more they stay the same.