The Boston Celtics schedule is out. The season begins on Wednesday, October 20 against Kemba Walker and the New York Knicks on ESPN. That’s the first of 22 nationally-televised games for Boston (11 on ESPN, 7 on TNT, 4 on ABC). Here’s a breakdown.
OCTOBER
Boston plays six games over the final two weeks of October, two at home and four away. The home opener is October 22 against Toronto. This includes a road back-to-back (Houston and Charlotte).
NOVEMBER
This month features 15 games (7 home, 8 road) and three back-to-backs: at Orlando and at Miami on November 3 and 4, Milwaukee at home and at Cleveland on November 12 and 13, and home games against the Lakers and Oklahoma City on November 19 and 20.
Other notable games: at the Mavs and Luka Doncic on the 6th, at Atlanta and Trae Young on the 17th, Jalen Green and the Rockets visit on the 22nd, and Brooklyn visits Boston on the 24th.
DECEMBER
15 games in this month as well (8 home, 7 road), including the first west coast swing on the 3rd-through-10th. This includes two back-to-backs in Utah and Portland the 3rd and 4th, and both Los Angeles teams on the 7th and 8th. Boston has two days off after the trip before facing Milwaukee at home then three days off before a home back-to-back against Golden State and New York (Kemba Walker return). This is part of a five-game homestand.
Other notable games: Philadelphia visits Boston twice (the 1st and 20th). The Clippers visit the 29th. Phoenix is in town on the 31st. At Milwaukee on Christmas day.
JANUARY
This is a home-heavy month, with 10 of the 16 games in Boston. There are three back-to-backs: home vs San Antonio then at New York the 5th and 6th, at Philadelphia then home vs. Chicago the 14th and 15th, and road games at Atlanta and New Orleans the 28th and 29th.
Other notable games: Kemba and the Knicks are back on the 8th. Zion Williamson and the Pelicans are in Boston on MLK Day. Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, and the Hornets visit on the 19th. Damian Lillard (assuming he’s still with Portland) visits with the Blazers on the 21st. Miami makes their first trip to Boston on the 31st.
FEBRUARY
This is a road-heavy month, with seven of the 11 games away from home. They have an at Philly/home vs. Detroit back-to-back before the All-Star break. This is Cade Cunningham’s first visit to Boston. Boston plays Detroit three times this month, twice on the road.
Other notable games: Boston is in Brooklyn twice (8th, 24th). Charlotte returns on the 2nd. Nikola Jokic and Denver are in town on the 11th. Trae Young returns on the 13th for a Sunday matinee.
MARCH
There are 14 games this month (8 home, 6 road). There are two back-to-backs: road games in Denver and OKC the 20th and 21st, then home vs. Minnesota and at Toronto on the 27th and 28th. The Nuggets/Thunder back-to-back is part of four-game west coast swing that starts with Golden State and then Sacramento.
Other notable games: Hawks at home on the 1st. Ja Morant and the Grizzlies visit on the 3rd. Brooklyn visits for a Sunday 1PM game on the 6th. Doncic and the Mavs are back on the 13th for another Sunday matinee. Utah visits on the 23rd.
The March 13th game vs. Dallas will be Kevin Garnett’s number retirement ceremony.
APRIL
The schedule ends with five games. Boston’s last two home games are the 1st and 3rd vs. Indiana and Washington. They finish on the road with a back-to-back in Chicago and Milwaukee the 6th and 7th, and the finale in Memphis on the 10th.
Toughest month: December
They play Milwaukee, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and the Clippers twice this month. They also face the Lakers, Jazz, and Blazers on the road. They face the Warriors and Knicks on a back-to-back. They only face two non-playoff teams from last season in December, and they have to face the NBA finalists twice each. Yikes.
Easiest month: November
They face Cleveland twice, Orlando, OKC, and Houston, all rebuilding teams. They have Toronto twice, which isn’t easy but they’re in transition and might not have much cohesion at that point. They also have the Spurs, who are always tougher than expected but who might this year actually finish near the bottom. The three back-to-backs are not great, though.
Nationally televised games:
ABC: 12/25 at Milwaukee, 2/13 vs. Atlanta, 3/t vs. Brooklyn, 3/13 vs. Dallas
ESPN: 10/20 at New York, 11/12 vs. Milwaukee, 11/19 vs. LA Lakers, 11/24 vs. Brooklyn, 12/10 at Phoenix, 12/17 vs. Golden State, 1/14 at Philadelphia, 1/28 at Atlanta, 3/16 at Golden State, 3/30 vs. Miami
TNT: 12/7 at LA Lakers, 1/6 at New York, 2/8 at Brooklyn, 2/15 at Philadelphia, 2/24 at Brooklyn, 3/1 at Atlanta, 4/7 at Milwaukee