Celtics' 2024-25 schedule breakdown: From Banner Night to Tatum vs. Kerr
BOSTON -- The full Celtics' 2024-25 season schedule is out, giving us the road map that the current NBA champs will have to take to defend their title.
Nearly the entire team that just won the franchise's 18th title is back to try and repeat. And even though they'll be collecting their championship rings on Oct. 22, Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will still have plenty of motivation throughout the regular season slate.
We've known that the Celtics will tip off the NBA season when they raise a new banner and get their rings on Opening Night against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. We also knew that they'd be hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day, and a few days ago, we found out their opponents in this year's NBA Cup.
Now we've got the full 82-game schedule to get hyped for over the next two months. Here are some of the big takeaways from Boston's 2024-25 schedule:
When will Celtics fans get to give Steve Kerr an earful at TD Garden?
A Celtics-Warriors matchup is always one to circle on the calendar, but this year's game at TD Garden on Nov. 6 will have a little extra oomph to it. It will be the first time that Jayson Tatum can go for some revenge against Steve Kerr for not playing him much during the Paris Olympics. Celtics fans will get their chance to give the Warriors/Team USA coach an earful too.
Jaylen Brown also has some beef against Team USA, so he's going to have a little extra 7uice for that game too.
The Celtics pummeled the Warriors when they came to TD Garden last season, 140-88. This year, Boston may win by 70.
Everyone gets to watch every Celtics-Knicks matchup
Even though the Celtics took four of their five showdowns with the Knicks last season, the Boston-New York rivalry is alive and well in the NBA. All four Celtics-Knicks games will be on National TV this season.
It all starts on Opening Night, Oct. 22, when the Celtics will raise their banner before hosting the Knicks. They won't meet again until Feb. 8 at Madison Square Garden, which is ABC's Saturday night game that week. They'll be on ABC again on Feb. 23 in Boston for a Sunday afternoon game.
The C's and Knicks will meet for the final time in the regular season on April 8 in New York, which is a Thursday night TNT game.
The Celtics don't lead the NBA in National TV games
Those Knicks games are just four of Boston's 34 games on National TV (ESPN, TNT, ABC, and NBA TV). But the defending champs do NOT have the most appearances on National TV next season.
That honor belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers, with a whopping 39 games on National TV in 2024-25. Up next is the Warriors, who will make 36 appearances on National TV.
The Celtics are tied with the Knicks for the third-most National TV games next season at 34.
Boston will visit Golden State on MLK Day, Jan. 20, which is set for 5pm on TNT.
When do the Celtics play the Lakers?
Obviously, the two Celtics-Lakers games are on National TV. The first showdown between the historic rivals comes on Jan. 23 in Los Angeles, which is a 10pm TNT game. It's also the second leg of a back-to-back for Boston, following a matchup with the Clippers the night before.
The Lakers come to TD Garden on March 8, which should make for a fun Saturday evening in Boston.
Soft start for the Celtics
While the Celtics will host the Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks in their first week of the season (Giannis, Doc Rivers and Co. come to town on Oct. 28), the start to the season is a pretty soft one for the defending champs.
Between those tilts against the Knicks and Bucks are road games against the Wizards and the Pistons. The Celtics will also play two games in Charlotte against the Hornets to begin November, plus two against the Atlanta Hawks and the Brooklyn Nets.
Only seven of Boston's first 19 games come against teams that made the playoffs last season. Not a bad way to tip off the season, especially with Kristaps Porzingis expected to be sidelined until mid-to-late December.
Busy start to December for Celtics
About December... the Celtics will be busy the first week of that month. They'll play five games in seven days, and will do so against some pretty solid competition.
The C's will start the month with a back-to-back at Cleveland and against Miami. Luckily that trip to Cleveland is the only time they'll be on the road during the stretch, but after hosting the Pistons on Dec. 4, Boston will take on the visiting Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies for a back-to-back on Dec. 6 and 7.
The Celtics have a tough January
The C's toughest stretch of the season comes when the calendar flips to 2025. Boston has 16 games in the month of January, with 10 of them on the road.
That includes two different trips out west. Boston's first West Coast trip spans from Jan. 2-7, with visits to the Timberwolves, Rockets, Thunder, and Nuggets. The games in Minnesota and Houston are a back-to-back.
The Celtics also hit the road from Jan. 20-25 when they visit the Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, and Mavericks.
A baker's dozen of back-to-backs
The Celtics play on back-to-back nights 13 times during the regular season. Seven of those will be of the road-road variety (one of which is a Los Angeles-Los Angeles back-to-back), two will be split on the road and in Boston, and four will have both legs at TD Garden.
The most difficult back-to-backs come toward the end of the season. First up, the Celtics will be in Miami on March 14 and then head to Brooklyn for a 6pm game on March 15. Then in the final week of the season, the Celtics will play at New York on April 8 and then play in Orlando the following night. Things could be decided in the standings by that point, but those games could also have some seeding implications.
Other notable home games for the Celtics
The Celtics are going to be a hot (and expensive) ticket this season. If you're going to dish out the big bucks to see them, these are the games to do it. (Other than the banner celebration night, of course.)
It's always worth it to shell out some cash to watch the Celtics take on Giannis. The Milwaukee Bucks are in town on Oct. 28 and again on Friday, Dec. 6.
The 76ers are usually worth the price of admission too, and Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey will be in Boston on Christmas Day and on Thursday, March 6.
How about the best of the West? Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves come to town on Nov. 24 for a Sunday afternoon tilt. Marcus Smart may play his first game in Boston as an opponent on Saturday, Dec. 7 when the Grizzles visit for a Saturday night game.
The Dallas Mavericks will make their first visit to Boston since the Celtics beat them in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, Feb. 6. A few nights later, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are in town on Feb. 12.
The start of March brings two Western Conference powerhouses to Boston, with the Nuggets paying a visit on March 2 and the Thunder on March 12.