By now, we’ve all seen it. The Boston Celtics schedule for the 2024–25 NBA season was made public by the NBA on Thursday.
Kristaps Porzingis will not play for Joe Mazzulla’s club in the new season as he continues his recuperation from surgery. His official return date is yet unknown. Still, it appears that late December or early January is the general agreement.
The Celtics are anticipated to start the season at full strength, barring Porzingis. The lone new player on the starting lineup is Baylor Scheierman. It will be difficult for him to get into a championship-winning rotation, but he will surely contend for playing time during his rookie campaign.
This summer, the Celtics have opted for stability, a decision that should pay off if everyone
The season officially starts on October 22. Two days earlier, I would have turned 37 years young. I always love how the NBA gives me an awesome gift by starting the season around my birthday.
Mazzulla’s team will play five games in the opening 10 days as they get eased into things before the schedule picks up pace. Still, matchups against the Knicks, Bucks and Pacers will ensure that there’s no grace period for the reigning NBA champions.
All three of those teams will come into the season believing they can challenge for a championship. New York added Mikal Bridges this summer, building on the addition of OG Anunoby last season. They will be one of the toughest teams in the East and will have a legitimate defensive identity. Beating them on opening night won’t be easy.
I’ve still got my questions about the Bucks. Yes, they added Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr. and Delon Wright during the summer, but the bigger questions about their roster continue to linger. Can Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard figure it out? Can Brook Lopez continue to anchor their defense? And will we ever see Khris Middleton bounce back to his best?
