The NBA released its regular season schedule on Thursday afternoon and the defending champion Celtics begin with another thriller. The Knicks once again look like the Celtics’ biggest threat in the East, after acquiring Mikal Bridges in a trade and losing center Isaiah Hartenstein this summer. The NBA will make sure the rivalry is front and center this season when the Knicks come to Boston on Oct. 22 for the NBA’s regular season opener.
It will be a night of ringside play, and it should be an exciting matchup. It will be the third time in four seasons that these teams have opened their seasons against each other, with Boston getting a narrow win in New York last year and the Knicks getting Evan Fournier’s revenge with an overtime win in October 2021. They have been trying to match the Celtics’ versatility last year, so this season will start off with a good test for the defending champions.
Another key early game will be on November 6, when Steve Kerr and the Warriors come to Boston. Jayson Tatum got to see the court that night.
The Celtics will play on the major networks (TNT, ESPN and ABC) 26 times this season, trailing only the Lakers (28) for the most in the league. They are tied with the Lakers for the most games on ABC (six), while Boston is also playing eight times on NBA television this season. Their final game of the season will be on TNT with the “Inside the NBA” team on April 8, their final trip to face the loaded Knicks at Madison Square Garden before the playoffs. NBC and Amazon Prime will replace TNT as secondary broadcasters of ABC/ESPN when the new television deal takes effect after this season.
February will be Boston’s chance to shine on the national stage, as seven of its 11 games are broadcast on national television. That month includes a pair of games each against the Knicks, 76ers and Cavaliers, as well as Victor Wenbanyama’s only trip with the Spurs. But the real highlight was Feb. 6, when the Mavericks returned to Boston to watch the confetti fall as the Celtics hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The Celtics celebrate winning the 2024 NBA Championship in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Long winter on the way
December concludes with an exciting home opener as the recharged 76ers visit us for a festive Christmas Day game at 5:00 p.m. on ABC, followed by two games against Indiana and a New Year’s Eve party in Toronto.
But as the new year begins, the Celtics barely get to see home. January starts with a wild trip to Minnesota on Jan. 2, then they head to Houston to see former coach Ime Udoka the next night. This may be the easy part. Next up is a 3:30 p.m. ET game in Oklahoma City before a 10 p.m. ET tip-off in Denver. This could be Kristaps Porzingis’ return window, which is perfectly timed as Boston faces three of the West’s best teams.
The Celtics host Atlanta on MLK Day, followed by NBA Rivalry Week. They visit the Lakers on Jan. 23 on TNT and then travel to Dallas for the first NBA Finals rematch on Jan. 25 at 5:30 ET on ABC.
January may be their toughest month yet, with three of their 13 straight. But in February, the Celtics will play three home games before a March reminiscent of last December. The Celtics open the month with a seven-game homestand, beginning with Cleveland on Feb. 28 and Oklahoma City on March 12. They then welcome spring with a six-game Western Conference road trip with a March 21 trip to Utah.
Hello old friends
While the Celtics will travel to Charlotte a few weeks into the season to see former assistants Charles Lee, Jermaine Bucknor and Blaine Mueller now that Lee has taken over as the Hornets’ head coach, Celtics fans won’t be able to welcome them back for the final two games of the season. In years past, the Celtics typically played back-to-back games against the Hornets in the preseason. That trend ended this year, but they are scheduled to open in November and finish the regular season at the park on April 11 and 13.
Marcus Smart missed Memphis’ only trip to Boston last season with a finger injury, though he received a standing ovation. On Dec. 7, Celtics fans will have the chance to boo him when he dives for a loose ball or is called for an offensive foul. It should be fun.
A visit from last year’s roster is scheduled, as Svi Mykhailik visits the Utah Jazz on March 10. The guard signed Danny Ainge and the Jazz to a four-year contract earlier this week, with the first year guaranteed. Oshay Brissett, another Celtics player who did not return from last season’s roster, remains a free agent.
Long wait for Porzingis
After ankle surgery, Porziņģis could be out for most of December, if not longer. That means 38-year-old Al Horford will start at five, and then a group of Luke Cornette, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Neemias Kweta will rotate in a backup role.
The Celtics play in the NBA playoffs on Nov. 12 at Atlanta, Nov. 19 at Cleveland, Nov. 22 at Washington and then Nov. 29 at Chicago. If they make it to the NBA Finals in Las Vegas, they’ll be played from Dec. 10-17. This is where Porziņģis’ potential return window looms. But when the NBA Finals are over, they face Chicago twice, visit Orlando, then play a week at home against Philadelphia, Indiana twice and then Toronto. That’s a lot of teams that can play big and physical and test depth at center. Maybe Porziņģis can get it back at some point during this stretch, especially during that elusive home run.
The really tough part will be when Horford sits out five straight games over five weeks, Nov. 1-Dec. 7. It starts with two games in Charlotte against Coach Lee and Grant Williams, who know Boston’s center rotation is the best. Then, they host Atlanta the next night before playing in Brooklyn, facing teams with athletes who can command attention through the paint. On the final Sunday in November, they host the dominant Wolves before the Clippers come to town.
