Boston Celtics Playing on Opening Night and Christmas Day
The NBA has announced that the Boston Celtics will be playing on both the opening night and Christmas day
The NBA has just released their first tease of the regular season schedule. The Boston Celtics were already confirmed to play a game in London in January, and now it is official that they will be playing the Cleveland Cavaliers to open up the season, and the Washington Wizards in the middle of the Christmas Day schedule.
It is great that Celtics fans will get more nationally televised games to watch, but it really should come as no surprise. The Celtics cemented themselves as contenders in the East last season, and after a great offseason, have become the biggest threat to LeBron James in almost a decade.
If that wasn’t enough, the pathetic state of the Eastern Conference made it an easy and obvious choice to have the Celtics in these slots.
Nobody wants to see the Cavaliers trounce over a team on opening night, and the Celtics are the team anyone in the league would have the most confidence in avoiding that.
More from Hardwood Houdini
- Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
- Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
- ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
- Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
- Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?
Christmas day then brings back the best rivalry in the East, and one of the more intense recent rivalries in the NBA. Maybe some families will not appreciate all the bad blood on Christmas, but there is no doubting that is the matchup that will draw the most interest with the Cavaliers tied up in the Finals rematch.
All this national attention will give Celtics fans the exposure that has been lacking during this rebuild, but it also means that the speculations and reactions will be even more unbearable.
Yes, you have to prepare yourself for the intense boom or bust reactions depending on how the Celtics do on opening day. Because a loss obviously means the Celtics can’t compete, and a win is a clear indication that James is punting the season in anticipating of joining the Lakers next season.
And Christmas day will ultimately be the deciding factor in a rivalry that has now extended to the playoffs… right?
In any case, the schedule is a clear indication that the Celtics have firmly established themselves at the top of the Eastern conference, both in their ability to win the East, and in the interest they draw from the league.
All eyes will be on the Celtics this season, and people really do not have a choice in the matter in the East. The NBA will make sure to market the biggest threat to the Cavaliers, and one of the only contending teams in the Eastern Conference as much as they can.
This is the first time the Celtics are entering the season with expectations to win the East, and you better believe that will change how they are presented by the media and consumed by the fans, for better and worse.
Next: IS Al Horford an Elite Center?
You can expect a lot more nationally televised games once the rest of the schedule is released in about a week.