Boston Celtics schedule analysis and other takeaways for 2019-20
By Isaac Moore
December
Playoff teams = 6
Non-playoff teams = 7
Total games = 13
December brings the Celtics a nice break in the schedule after a somewhat brutal slate of road games in November. There’s a nice balance of home and road games, while the only “top end” opponents are Philadelphia and Denver.
At least on paper, every other opponent this month is either on Boston’s level or far beneath them.
What would normally be a tough back-to-back on the 11th and 12th against the Pacers and 76ers may not be as gritty if Victor Oladipo hasn’t yet recovered from his quad injury he suffered in the middle of last season.
The team gets a nice five day break concluding the back-to-back. Outside of playing Toronto twice, the rest of the teams Boston plays the second half of December had a combined record last year of 171-239.
The December 12th matchup vs Philly will be Horford’s first game back in Boston in his new threads, and will surely receive a warm welcome from the Boston faithful.
The other significant return date scheduled this month is on the 22nd, where Terry Rozier makes his first return to Boston with his new team.