All in all Boston Celtics' game schedule for this season does not look like the rollercoaster ride that was last season, which started as one of the toughest in the league until Christmas, but ended with a nice downhill ride from the All-Star break.
After facing Philadelphia, Toronto (in which Amir Johnson faces his former teammates for the first time), and San Antonio at home, the Celtics play their first away game in Indiana, coach Brad Stevens' native state, on November 4th.
One more back-to-back game than last season
The Celtics don't play a back-to-back game until November 25, 2015 when they play at home against Philadelphia after playing in Atlanta the night before, but they will play 19 of them during the season, which is one more than last season.
They have only one stretch of four games in five days, though, from January 12th through the 16th, with the first game against the New York Knicks and the last game against the Washington Wizards as away games, and the two middle ones at home.
The Celtics did excellent in back-to-back games last season, taking pride in winning as many as possible, even when they struggled. Last season coach Brad Stevens called it a ”building block”, so expect the team to build on that identity.
The toughest road trip is probably the traditional five-game tour to the West Coast from March 26th through April 4th against the Suns, the Clippers, the Trail Blazers, the Warriors and the Lakers. Quite late in the season for that ordeal.
The following games are scheduled for national TV (TNT, ESPN or NBATV):
- Nov 24 @ Atlanta 8:00 PM (TNT)
- Dec 9 - Chicago 7:00 PM (ESPN)
- Dec 27 - NY Knicks 6:00 PM (NBATV)
- Jan 7 @ Chicago 8:00 PM (TNT)
- Jan 13 - Indiana 8:00 PM (ESPN)
- Jan 31 @ Orlando 6:00 PM (NBATV)
- Feb 19 @ Utah 10:30 PM (ESPN)
- Mar 16 - Oklahoma City 7:00 PM (ESPN)
- Mar 28 @ Los Angeles Clippers 10:30 PM (NBATV)
- Apr 1 @ Golden State 10:30 PM (ESPN)
Some other interesting matchups
Boston will play against the Sacremento Kings and former team captain Rajon Rondo in Mexico City on December 3rd. Rondo will revisit Boston on February 7th in a Super Bowl Sunday matinee game.
Another former team captain, actually nick-named ”The Captain” by many Celtics fans, Paul Pierce visits Boston three days after Rondo, on February 10th. His Clippers team includes other former Celtics in coach/GM Doc Rivers, Austin Rivers (who never actually wore a Boston jersey) and maybe Glen ”Big Baby” Davis”, though he hasn't signed with the Clippers yet.
David Lee gets to meet his former teammates, the reigning champions Golden State Warriors for the first time on December 11th in the TD Garden, their only visit in Boston this season.
Boston faces Cleveland three times this season. But the only game against the team, who swept them in the first round of the playoffs, in the TD Garden is December 15th. It will probably also be the first time Kelly Olynyk and Kevin Love get the opportunity to shake hands after the unfortunate incident in game four of the series, when Olynyk pulled at Love's arm which caused a dislocated shoulder and a torn labrum that required surgery and kept Love out for the rest of the playoffs. Love took his time to accept Olynyk's apology, but it should be water under the bridge at game time.
Pre-season games start in Europe
The Boston Celtics also announced their pre-season schedule today. It starts with two games in Europe, October 6th against Olympia Milano in Milan, Italy, followed by a game in Madrid, Spain, against Real Madrid on October 8th. These games are part of NBA Global Games Europe 2015.
The rest of the Celtics pre-season games will be played against three division rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics will go to New York to play against the Nets on October 14th and against the Knicks on October 16th. The following week, Boston will host the Nets on October 19th and the Knicks on October 22nd, in the TD Garden.
The Celtics finish their pre-season schedule in Manchester, New Hampshire when they face the 76ers on October 23rd.