It's time to mark your calendars, Boston Celtics fans. The full schedule for the 2022-23 NBA season is here.
The C's will begin their new quest for Banner 18 when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 18. The two Eastern Conference powerhouses will be at center stage as the first regular-season matchup of the new NBA campaign.
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December should be a fun month for C's fans will several intriguing games on the docket, including their first NBA Finals rematch vs. the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 10. The month is also highlighted by another Christmas Day showdown with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Those are just some of the games you won't want to miss this season as the C's look to make their second consecutive Finals appearance. Here are 10 must-see matchups on Boston's 2022-23 schedule (all times Eastern):
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Boston Celtics
Oct. 18 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m.
The Celtics will be the center of attention in 2022-23 and it all starts on Opening Night. Boston opens the NBA regular season at TD Garden with what should be a thrilling matchup vs. its Eastern Conference rival, the 76ers.
The C's and Sixers both posted 51-31 records in 2021-22 and split their season series, 2-2. They finished as the No. 2 and 4 seeds in the Eastern Conference, respectively.
The two teams also will meet up on Feb. 8 (in Boston), Feb. 25 (in Philly), and April 4 (in Philly).
Oct. 21 at Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m. (on NBCSB)
Boston will have two days off after Opening Night, then head to South Beach for an Eastern Conference Finals rematch vs. Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
The Heat were the top seed in the East last season with a 53-29 record. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks and 76ers in the playoffs before falling to the Celtics in seven thrilling games. You can bet they'll be out for revenge when the C's come to town as a win could go a long way toward setting the tone for the rest of the season.
Boston and Miami also are set to face off on Nov. 30 (Boston), Dec. 2 (Boston) and Jan. 24 (Miami).
Nov. 7 at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m. (NBCSB)
Ja Morant is just a joy to watch, even if he's taking on your favorite team. The star point guard led the Grizzlies to a 56-26 record and the second seed in the Western Conference last season. He'll be out to prove Memphis' success was no fluke.
Boston will host Memphis on Feb. 12.
Nov. 23 vs. Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSB)
Celtics fans must dread seeing Luka Doncic and the Mavericks on the schedule at this point. Doncic has delivered gut punch after gut punch to the C's over the last couple of years with clutch shots. As painful as it might be, it still makes for great entertainment, so you won't want to miss the Mavs coming to TD Garden in late November.
The C's and Mavs also will meet up on Jan. 5 in Dallas.
Dec. 4 at Brooklyn Nets, 6 p.m. (NBCSB)
Will Kevin Durant still be in Brooklyn come December? Will Kyrie Irving? If the answer to either of those questions is yes, the playoff rematch against the Nets on Dec. 4 will be worth your attention.
UPDATE (Aug. 23): Nets general manager Sean Marks announced that Durant will remain in Brooklyn this season.
Boston went 3-1 against Brooklyn last season before sweeping them in the first round of the NBA playoffs. This time around, the Nets presumably will have Ben Simmons in the mix instead of James Harden. The two were traded for one another in the middle of the 2021-22 campaign.
We'd be remiss to not mention the Durant-to-Celtics rumors that have surfaced over the last month. If Durant indeed ends up in Boston, the excitement level for this game will be through the roof.
C's vs. Nets also is scheduled for Jan. 12 (Brooklyn), Feb. 1 (Boston), and March 3 (Boston).
Dec. 7 at Phoenix Suns, 10 p.m. (NBCSB)
Sure, you might have to stay up late and call out of work the following day, but Celtics-Suns on Dec. 7 should be well worth it. Phoenix (64-18) finished as the top seed in the West last season and should be among the league's best again in 2022-23. A star-studded matchup featuring Devin Booker and Chris Paul vs. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is an obvious must-watch, and the intrigue only increases if Durant is dealt to either team.
Boston will host Phoenix on Feb. 3.
Dec. 10 at Golden State Warriors, 8:30 p.m. (NBCSB)
The entire NBA world will be tuning in to watch the C's-Warriors Finals rematch on Dec. 10.
Golden State defeated Boston in six games to win its fourth title since 2015. A Celtics win on the road would send a firm reminder to the Warriors that they aren't going anywhere. Perhaps it'll be a 2023 NBA Finals preview.
The Celtics will host the Warriors for Round 2 of the Finals rematch on Jan. 19.
Dec. 12 at Los Angeles Clippers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSB)
In yet another fun December showdown, the Celtics will head to L.A. to face off against Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers right after the Golden State matchup.
Leonard missed the entire 2021-22 season with a partial ACL tear. With him healthy for this season, the Clippers are back to being an NBA title contender.
It's a matchup Tatum should have circled on his calendar. The 24-year-old C's star had one of the most memorable games of his young career against the Clippers back on Feb. 13, 2020, when he dropped 39 points to lead Boston to a double-overtime victory. Tatum has notched at least 29 points in four of his last five games against the Clippers.
The Celtics host the Clippers later in the month on Dec. 29.
Dec. 13 at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m.
The Celtics will stay in L.A. after the Clippers game to take on LeBron James and the Lakers the following night. Even if the Lakers fail to bounce back after a horrific 2021-22 campaign, this one is a must-watch for the C's-Lakers history alone. Tatum vs. LeBron never gets old, either.
Boston hosts the Lakers on Jan. 28.
Dec. 25 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 5 p.m.
We've got ourselves a Celtics vs. Bucks Christmas Day rematch, which also serves as a rematch of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The C's crushing 117-113 loss to Milwaukee on Christmas was a low point of last season, but they got their revenge by taking down Giannis and the Bucks in seven games during the playoffs.
This will mark the first of three showdowns between these two Eastern Conference powerhouses. The other two will take place in Milwaukee on Feb. 14 and March 30.