BOSTON — We know the appetite for Kyrie Irving returning to Boston is high. And yes, seeing LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the TD Garden donning Los Angeles Lakers jerseys will be a must-see event as well. 

There’s plenty of high-profile games on the Boston Celtics’ docket at home this season, for sure. 

But there are also some games that won’t get nearly as much hype as others, while still being sneaky-good matchups for Boston and maybe just as important, Celtics fans. 

Here we take a look at some of the best below-the-radar games for the Boston Celtics this season. 

November 25, 7:30 p.m. 

There’s so much to like about the Kings, who will once again be on the short list of teams vying for one of the last playoff spots out West. They have young talent in De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Harry Giles and Marvin Bagley. They re-signed Harrison Barnes and added veterans Trevor Ariza, Dewayne Dedmon and Cory Joseph. This is a team with depth and talent, but will their youthfulness get in the way of their success? Count this one among Boston’s early season tests.

December 4, 7:30 p.m. 

The Heat got their man this offseason in acquiring Jimmy Butler from Philadelphia. There’s no question the addition of Butler gives Miami a much-needed jolt of talent and toughness. But can it get them back to the playoffs?

And will Butler’s “tough love” approach work in South Beach after flopping in Minnesota and later, Philly? 

December 6, 8:00 p.m. 

The Western Conference has a free-for-all feel to it at the top, but you can bet the Nuggets will be in the mix. Nikola Jokic is one of the best players — not just centers, but players — in the NBA who creates matchup problems with his scoring, rebounding prowess and court vision. Jamal Murray is an All-Star in the making. Gary Harris, Paul Millsap, Malik Beasley, Will Barton … it’s clear this is an extremely talented team that should finish among the top two or three teams in the West.

January 3, 7:00 p.m. 

The first game for the Boston Celtics in 2020 will be against the Hawks, one of the NBA’s on-the-rise clubs fueled by the 1-2 tandem of Trae Young and John Collins. They play an uptempo, exciting brand of basketball that at a minimum makes them an entertaining team to watch. But when you throw in Kevin Huerter, first-round pick Cam Reddish and ex-Celtic Evan Turner to the mix, you have a team that’s going to be fighting for one of the last playoff spots in the East, which will make for a challenging start to the new year for Boston.

January 18, 7:00 p.m.

We’ve seen a few guys who seem to be at their best on the parquet, but no one seems to light up the Green Team the way Devin Booker does. Heading into his fifth NBA season, Booker has averaged 31.0 points per game against Boston — his highest scoring average against any team in the NBA. The 6-foot-5 guard also averages 4.9 rebounds against Boston, which is also his highest average against any team. 

Click here for a printable Celtics schedule for 2019-20>>>>