Everyone knows that the tip objective is to lift Banner 19 and now now we have a part of the roadmap to get there.
The Celtics utterly outpaced the remainder of the league final season with 64 wins, fourteen forward of everyone within the East and 7 in entrance of the Thunder and Nuggets. After they had been examined, they handed with flying colours. After they might have coasted, they did not.
However this upcoming season is a title protection and that comes with everyone utilizing them as a measuring stick.
Optimistic Residual ranks the Celtics’ 2024-2025 common season schedule because the 4th best within the league based mostly on journey and relaxation day benefits, however as Larry Legend as soon as astutely identified, everyone has the identical variety of house and highway video games. Chicken did not play within the In-Season Event or load administration period, so a few of that logic is a little bit dated. Nonetheless, here is the marathon course that runs from October to April. I at all times discover it helpful to interrupt up the common season into bite-size chunks. Let’s eat:
Knicks, at Wizards, at Pistons, Bucks: It’s at all times a curious alternative who the league picks to be the visiting group on Ring Night time. For the Celtics, their Atlantic Division rival will do exactly advantageous. New York is arguably the group that did essentially the most within the offseason to matchup with Boston. Per week later, they’ll host one other Japanese Convention (supposed) juggernaut within the Bucks. Each matchups shall be juiced (3-1).
at Pacers, at Hornets, at Hornets, at Hawks: First prolonged highway journey contains a rematch of the ECF and a two-game mini-series in Charlotte. It’s the primary of 13 back-to-backs of the yr. Spoiler alert: the Hornets wrap up their season in Boston with two video games at TD Backyard (3-1).
Warriors, Nets, at Bucks, Hawks, at Nets: Don’t put it move Joe Mazzulla to play Jayson Tatum 48 minutes towards Golden State and Olympic head coach Steve Kerr even when the rating comes near final yr’s 52-point blowout in Boston. A house-and-away B2B more than likely means Al Horford doesn’t make it up I-84 to Brooklyn, however he’ll most likely play within the group’s first recreation of the NBA Cup spherical robin vs. his former Atlanta group (4-1).
Raptors, Cavaliers, at Wizards, Timberwolves, Clippers: By now, Mazzulla could have sense of what his huge man rotation goes to be with out Kristaps Porzingis for the primary two months of the season. That’ll be examined when the Celtics host Cleveland and Minnesota. The winner of that Cavaliers recreation may very well be the Group C (3-2).
at Bulls, at Cavaliers, Warmth, Pistons, Bucks, Grizzlies: This homestand contains a brutal stretch of 5 video games in seven nights that features Boston’s third recreation towards Giannis Antetokounmpo and the return of Marcus Good again to the Backyard. Perhaps Memphis loans out our prodigal son for the night time towards the Greek Freak earlier than NBA Cup Week (4-2).
Bulls, at Bulls, at Magic, 76ers, Pacers, Pacers, Raptors: The primary third of the Celtics common season schedule is extraordinarily East-heavy and that is the ultimate stretch of dealing with groups from east of the Mississippi. The largest reward underneath the tree is that Christmas Day recreation tilt towards Philly and if medical projections are proper, the looming return of KP (6-1).
at Timberwolves, at Rockets, at Thunder, at Nuggets: The brand new yr has Boston on the highway for his or her first enterprise to the Western Convention. Knock on wooden that the group is wholesome as a result of that might make for per week towards potential Finals opponents (2-2).
Kings, Pelicans, at Raptors, Magic, Hawks: Hear that? That’s the drone of the canine days of an 82-game slog. 4 out of 5 at house will recharge the batteries, however Boston can’t take it frivolously towards second tier groups trying to jockey for playoff place (4-1).
at Warriors, at Clippers, at Lakers, at Mavericks: Street journeys have a manner of defining/re-defining a group halfway by means of the season. What number of instances have we seen the Celtics play within the PST and simply flex on the West? (4-0).
Rockets, Bulls, at Pelicans, at 76ers, at Cavaliers, Mavericks, at Knicks, at Warmth, Spurs: The march in direction of the NBA commerce deadline on February eighth may very well be proving stage earlier than the group goes into All-Star Weekend. Brad Stevens shall be a little bit hard-pressed to make a transfer due to the CBA restrictions, but when the group stumbles in or round this stretch, possibly there’s a Xavier Tillman- or Jaden Springer-ish commerce to be made (6-3).
at 76ers, Knicks, at Raptors, at Pistons: A few of the group shall be in San Francisco for the ASW festivities. Others shall be getting back from a seaside or a staycation. Maintain these baggage packed, fellas. Three-games-in-four-nights with journey days from all three cities is your welcome again to the NBA grind (3-1).
Cavaliers, Nuggets, Path Blazers, 76ers, Lakers, Jazz, Thunder: Seven video games on the parquet flooring is Boston’s longest house stretch of the yr. They’ll want that homecooking earlier than leaving for many of March (6-1).
at Warmth, at Nets, Nets, at Jazz, at Path Blazers, at Kings, at Suns, at Spurs, at Grizzlies: Final yr, the Celtics had a large enough cushion to coast to the common season end line. The 2024-2025 schedule is similar to final season’s with a protracted highway journey adopted by a protracted homestand. Nonetheless, they’ll do that yr’s roadie out west (5-4).
Warmth, Suns, Wizards, at Knicks, at Magic, Hornets, Hornets: Residence candy house. A back-to-back at Madison Sq. Backyard and the Magic Kingdom isn’t precisely essentially the most inviting technique to shut out the yr, however the champs gained’t have to actually defend the Larry O’Brien till Might, June, and July (5-2).
Not counting the NBA Cup video games, my prediction provides as much as 58-22. That doesn’t contact final yr’s 64 wins, however that’s proper round DraftKings 58.5 win prediction and hanging distance of that 60-win peak of greatness.
It has been seven years because the Warriors put collectively back-to-back 60-plus wins. This model of the Celtics has already put their identify within the historical past books; basketball immortality has the next bar
