Our associates at DraftKings has the over/beneath on the Celtics win whole at 53.5, highest within the Japanese Convention with a sport over the Bucks and second in the whole league, a sport lower than the defending champion Nuggets. Let’s not get forward of ourselves.
There’s nonetheless 82-83 video games to get by way of and the way do you eat an elephant? One chunk at a time. Let’s break up the schedule in chunks:
at Knicks, Warmth, at Wizards, Pacers, at Nets, at Timberwolves, at 76ers: Familiarity breeds contempt. The Celtics packed their preseason schedule with 5 video games, together with home-and-aways with Atlantic Division rivals New York and Philadelphia. They’ll now face each to begin the 82-game marathon. This away-home-away-home-away-away-away gauntlet isn’t the friendliest begin and it’s filled with apparent intrigue: an Japanese Convention Finals rematch with Miami, a go to to D.C. for Danilo Gallinari’s revenge sport, and a pair of “attempt exhausting” groups in Indiana and Brooklyn. Boston has began the final two years 2-5 and 3-4. They may stumble out of the gate once more (4-3).
Nets, Raptors, Knicks: A 3-game homestand can even be the Celtics first three-games-in-four-nights stretch. We’ll probably get our first take a look at how head coach Joe Mazzulla plans to cope with resting massive males Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Robert Williams. Additionally observe that the Brooklyn sport begins the four-game spherical robin for the In-Season Event (3-0).
at 76ers, at Raptors, at Grizzlies, at Hornets: The crew’s first reunion with Marcus Sensible is on the entrance finish of a back-to-back in Memphis. The next night time, they’ll meet up with outdated associates Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward. Deliver Kleenex. An fascinating quirk within the 2023-2024 schedule is the 2 video games within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love every week aside. It’s not a ton of mileage between Boston and Philadelphia, however the Celtics will probably be on the highway for 9 of their first 14 video games (3-1),
Bucks, at Magic, Hawks, Bulls, 76ers: At almost the quarter mark, one other homestand options bookend video games in opposition to the Bucks and 76ers (for already the third time). The Orlando and Chicago contests are each Group C video games. Don’t be stunned if this stretch is a part of a multi-game win streak (5-0).
In-Season Event: The Celtics ought to come out of the group stage both as a qualifier or wild card and the quarterfinals as probably the greatest groups in on the 20-game mark. I received’t go as far to counsel that they’ll carry the inaugural NBA Cup in Vegas, however it needs to be a reasonably profitable week (2-1).
Cavs, Cavs, Magic, Magic: Again-to-home home-and-homes with a back-to-back in opposition to two of the up-and-coming groups within the East and each Cleveland and Orlando gave them bother final 12 months. It may get a bit bizarre earlier than heading out west for his or her annual crew reset highway journey (2-2).
Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs
at Warriors, at Kings, at Clippers, at Lakers: There’s all the time a constructing narrative when the Celtics go to the Western Convention for the primary time of the 12 months. It’s both galvanized them or worse, made the warts seem even greater. All 4 California groups could possibly be internet hosting first spherical sequence in April, so it received’t be simple. Simply give me a Christmas present and Beat LA, please (3-1).
Pistons, Raptors, at Spurs, at Thunder, Jazz, at Pacers, at Pacers: Final season, the Celtics ought to have been higher than 24-10 in opposition to sub-.500 groups. These are video games that contenders ought to feast on and get fats within the winter (5-2).
Timberwolves, at Bucks, Rockets, at Raptors, Spurs, Nuggets: Over the course of the week, the Celtics will probably be nationally televised in Milwaukee and at dwelling internet hosting Nikola Jokic and Denver. They’ll need to put their finest foot ahead in these video games, however there might not be extra motivation than beating former head coach Ime Udoka when Houston involves city (4-2).
at Rockets, at Mavericks, at Warmth: One other sport in opposition to their former coach, their former teammates Kyrie Irving and Grant Williams, and their endlessly foe in Miami. Make an announcement (3-0).
Photograph by Chris Marion/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Clippers, Pelicans, Pacers, Lakers, Grizzlies, Hawks, Wizards: One other alternative to gobble up wins with their longest homestand of the 12 months. It options one other bizarre dwelling back-to-back (there are 5 whole), however in any other case, these are all video games that Boston will probably be favored in. The seven video games on the parquet ground can even be a great alternative for the entrance workplace to guage the place the crew is at. Sarcastically, the sport in opposition to Washington (Porzingis’ former crew) marks the league’s commerce deadline. And talking of, circle your calendars for Sensible’s return dwelling on February 4th (5-2).
at Warmth, at Nets, Nets: It’s the ultimate three video games earlier than All-Star Weekend. A sport in South Seaside is adopted by a home-and-away in opposition to Brooklyn. I wouldn’t be stunned if a number of the key gamers aren’t already on trip when the crew performs at TD Backyard on Valentine’s Day (1-2).
at Bulls, at Knicks, 76ers, Mavericks, Warriors: By my rely, Boston needs to be nearing 45 wins at this level after profitable 57 final 12 months and 51 the 12 months earlier than. Per Optimistic Residual, the Celtics have “essentially the most rest-advantage video games at 16.” You’ll begin seeing it right here in February and March. After every week off after the All-Star Recreation, Boston doesn’t have any B2B’s going into March and a five-day stretch with just one sport within the center internet hosting the 76ers (4-1)…
at Cavaliers, at Nuggets, at Suns, at Blazers, at Jazz: …however then it will get nasty. Twelve of the subsequent fifteen video games will probably be on the highway as spring arrives. The primary crisscrosses the nation with stops in Cleveland then the Denver altitude then the Phoenix desert then the Pacific Northwest then lastly Utah. Might be a troubling roadie after sitting fairly at dwelling for thus lengthy (2-3).
Suns, at Wizards, Pistons, Bucks: A brief respite at house is teeth-cutting time for the crew. Sure, most of their work jockeying for playoff place needs to be performed by now, however they’ll additionally need to land physique blows in opposition to the league’s finest. Jayson Tatum all the time steps up in opposition to Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. These are assertion wins earlier than the postseason hits the next month (3-1).
at Pistons, at Bulls, at Hawks, at Hawks, at Pelicans, at Hornets: It’s the longest highway journey of the 12 months, however with extra manageable opponents. We may see some resting right here with an eye fixed for the playoffs and a few last tryouts to solidify the rotation (4-2).
Thunder, Kings, Blazers, at Bucks, Knicks, Hornets, Wizards: House candy dwelling. With solely a midweek journey to Milwaukee to shut out the 12 months, the Celtics have a very good likelihood to make use of the ultimate two weeks of the common season to their benefit. If they should hit the gasoline, there are winnable video games on the slate. If they will coast a bit, there’s room for that, too (5-2).
It doesn’t seem like they’ll hit 60 wins, however all issues thought-about, it’s a fairly favorable schedule, however like Larry Legend as soon as stated, “41 dwelling video games, 41 highway video games.” Or possibly it’s 42 highway video games. Who’s counting?
