Heading into next season, the Boston Celtics will be looking to defend their title. They stormed throughout the playoffs, winning four straight series in five games or less, including a sweep of the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.
They were dominant from the start of last year to the bitter end, finishing the regular season and playoffs with a combined record of 80-21. They became just the 14th team since 2000 to win at least 64 games in a regular season.
But despite their constant success, the Celtics were still questioned at every turn. Every time they won a playoff game, the narrative still seemed to be about whether or not they could beat a “real opponent.”
Huge stretch of Celtics schedule is test of biggest criticism: Can they beat the Nuggets, Thunder, and Timberwolves?
All of Boston’s playoff opponents prior to the NBA Finals were injured. Jimmy Butler was out for the Miami Heat. Donovan Mitchell missed time for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tyrese Haliburton was absent for some of the ECF. That’s what people focused on.
Add in the fact that the Celtics played in a relatively weaker Eastern Conference, and everyone who dislikes Boston jumped on the idea that they didn’t play enough quality opponents en route to a title.
That’s why the start of January is the NBA’s way of testing the Celtics.
The Celtics schedule for the 2024-25 season was just recently released, and there are a ton of key games and stretches, but this is one of the most important ones.
In the span of six days, the Celtics will take on the three best teams from the Western Conference last season—the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets.
They get the Timberwolves on January 2, the Thunder on January 5, and the Nuggets on January 7. All three teams beat the Celtics at least once last season, and that’s not something many teams can say. The Nuggets even beat them twice. They were the only team in the league that Boston didn’t beat last season.
Not only will Boston be tested by facing all three teams, but they will be tested by having to play them in rapid succession. Plus, all three games in that stretch will be on the road.
The entire basketball world will be watching that stretch very closely, especially if the Celtics begin the season on a hot streak. Everyone from fans to haters will want to see how legit Boston is.