The NBA obviously holds the Celtics in pretty high esteem, as they gave them the season’s opening game and a spot on the Christmas Day slate. But they clearly aren’t at the top of the marquee, as they were given the matinee spot in Detroit on opening day and the 2:30 slot on Christmas against the Heat.
That became even clearer on Wednesday with more of the 2026-27 schedule being released. The NBA announced the national TV slates for Martin Luther King Day and Presidents’ Day, and the Celtics aren’t featured as part of either showcase.
The NBA schedule on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, Jan. 18) will feature an NBC Sports quadrupleheader.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 12, 2026
The action begins with a 2026 Eastern Conference Semifinals rematch between the Pistons and Cavaliers, with additional matchups in Atlanta, New York and Memphis.
NBA… pic.twitter.com/vEk0JOkXA9
These would have been two more opportunities for the league to feature the Celtics-76ers rivalry and Jaylen Brown’s potential return to Boston. Instead, they went with the Sixers against the Hawks on MLK Day and the Sixers against the Mavericks on Presidents’ Day, while the Cs were shut out completely from both holidays.
An NBC Sports quadrupleheader will highlight the NBA schedule on Presidents' Day (Monday, Feb. 15).
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) August 12, 2026
The four-game lineup opens with Minnesota's LaMelo Ball returning to Charlotte to face the Hornets.
NBA Schedule Release presented by @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/ASGahOlnpC
I’m sure the Celtics will have more than enough national TV games when the full schedule comes out, and I’m also quite sure that their games against the Sixers, especially Jaylen’s first game back in Boston, will be prominently displayed for the national audience, but still. The NBA obviously isn’t invested in this rivalry and storyline nearly as much as fans thought.
NBA snubbed the Celtics–76ers rivalry on MLK & Presidents' Day
For my money, I think it’s a mistake. The Jaylen trade, followed by the LeBron James signing, were the biggest stories of the NBA offseason. All eyes are going to be on Philly, and to a lesser extent, Boston.Â
The Boston/Philly rivalry was already among the strongest in the league, and now it has grown exponentially. I would imagine that a 10-year Celtic who won a Finals MVP being traded to a hated rival right after that team erased a 3-1 deficit to knock them out of the playoffs would be a pretty damn intriguing storyline, but apparently not.
Maybe it’ll make more sense when the entire schedule comes out, but on the surface, this is pretty hard to understand. Two huge fanbases. One big rivalry. Recent history. And some very real drama and animosity. This matchup has everything the league should want and should be trying to promote. There’s genuine dislike on and off the floor, and furthermore, these teams are both very good and have title aspirations.
Again, I’m sure there are some rational explanations for why the league went in this direction, and a lot of these matchups are still quite good. But what are we doing here? They went with LaMelo’s return to Charlotte and Pacers @ Warriors on Presidents’ Day. Are those games going to move the needle more than Philly @ Boston? Tatum vs. Brown? Playoff rematch? I, for one, highly doubt it.
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