Boston Celtics: Ranking the C’s 3 scrimmage opponents

The NBA’s return is weeks away, and the scrimmage schedule for all 30 teams has been released. Who will be on the Boston Celtics’ docket?

The Boston Celtics will play three preseason games before they begin their eight-game stretch of seeding games. Unlike their regular-season schedule, there won’t be potential playoff opponents on the docket.

Instead, the league has imposed a scrimmage schedule that will match teams up with teams they won’t be getting a look at when the games matter. That means the Western Conference will present the C’s their three exhibition opponents.

How do Boston’s opponents stack up?

3. Phoenix Suns

The second game of the Boston Celtics’ three-game second preseason slate will be against one of the least likely teams to qualify for the playoffs out of the 22 teams set to return in the Lake Buena Vista Bubble in the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix currently sits six games back of the #8 seed in the Western Conference. They’d have to leapfrog five different teams to make the postseason. Strange things have happened, but the Suns will need an MVP-type stretch from Devin Booker to make any runs.

We don’t know how much the starters will be playing in these games, but besides Booker, there are few offensive threats the C’s should worry about.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

No team has managed to exceed expectations quite like the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. Originally written off because of the departures of Russell Westbrook and Paul George last offseason, the Thunder have been able to be the west’s fifth-best team by record in 2019-20.

Chris Paul has returned to an All-Star level of play, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has made a significant leap in his sophomore year and the Thunder have been able to rely on solid veteran contributors like Steven Adams and Danillo Gallinari.

The Thunder will be a tough out due to the potency of the team’s offense when it plays three point guards in Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schroeder and a top 10 ranked defense.

1. Houston Rockets

Even though they trail the Thunder in the standings, the Houston Rockets figure to be the toughest opponent on the Boston Celtics’ exhibition schedule. James Harden, Russell Westbrook and co. figured out their best form half-way through the season and picked up several signature victories before the season suspension…including one over the C’s.

Houston unleashed small-ball on the league when it traded Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks for a return that was headlined by Robert Covington. With P.J. Tucker, Covington and Danuel House able to provide rim protection through their switching schemes, the Rockets spread the floor without any plodding center clogging the middle.

The C’s scrimmage with Houston will be the final game on the exhibition slate, and this should be a good test to see if the team is able to shake off the rust from over four months away from basketball.