The 2024-25 NBA season starts in Boston. The reigning champions host ring night and raise Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters on Oct. 22 before tip-off against the Knicks.
With New York trading for Mikal Bridges, who will pair with OG Anunoby to form an elite defensive tandem on the perimeter, a move motivated by having to go through the Celtics, opening night vs. Jalen Brunson and Co. could double as a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Speaking of rivalry clashes, wisely, the NBA is again utilizing Christmas, the marquee date on its regular season calendar, to showcase one of the most storied feuds in the Association.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY SportsThe Celtics, who bested the Lakers 126-115 in a Dec. 25 game that epitomized Jayson Tatum's willingness to prioritize what's best for the team, host the 76ers on Christmas this year.
After acquiring Paul George, Eric Gordon, and Reggie Jackson, re-signing Kelly Oubre and Kyle Lowry, and adding former Duke Blue Devil Jared McCain in the first round of this year's NBA Draft, Philadelphia's fortified roster makes the Sixers one of Boston's top threats in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics' two tilts against the Thunder are must-watch matchups and potential previews of the best-of-seven for the Larry O'Brien Trophy next June.
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY SportsThe theme of the former's offseason is continuity, with 15 of the 17 players -- including those on two-way deals -- who helped them reach the NBA summit in June returning for their title defense.
By necessity, Oklahoma City required a more aggressive approach. The Thunder got burned by a lackluster trade deadline, where they mostly sat on their stockpile of draft picks. When the playoffs arrived, they were bounced in the second round while getting minimal contributions from their primary pickup in February, the now-retired Gordon Hayward.
Aiming to rectify that miscalculation, Sam Presti, the franchise's executive vice president and general manager, acquired Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Adding individuals who will make an impact at both ends of the court, who are also two of the top defenders at their respective positions, to slot alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren makes the team that accumulated 57 wins and finished atop the West last regular season appreciably more formidable.
The Celtics are in Oklahoma City on Jan. 5. They square off at TD Garden on Mar. 12.
David Butler II-USA TODAY SportsAnother Western Conference foe fans know to circle on their calendar is the Denver Nuggets.
Nikola Jokic's squad ran out of gas and blew a 20-point lead in the second half of Game 7 against the Timberwolves on their home floor in the conference semifinals last season. They also lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this summer.
However, they still have the best player in the world; it's reasonable to anticipate improvement from at least one of their younger players they leaned on too heavily last year, and they also added Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric.
After two tilts that came down to the wire last season, both going in Denver's favor, their first chance to face each other in the 2024-25 campaign is at Ball Arena on Jan. 7. The Nuggets come to Boston on Mar. 2.
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY SportsWhat happened between Team USA and the Celtics' two best players this summer may help fuel their title defense.
Jayson Tatum labeled getting confined to a limited role and enduring multiple benchings against Serbia as a "challenging and humbling" experience.
It could aid the ascent of a 26-year-old star entering the peak of his powers as he builds his legacy.
Jaylen Brown said at Summer League that his Olympic snub has him "Super fired up. I've got all the motivation in the world," adding, "I love that, honestly."
When the Warriors come to town on Nov. 6, the TD Garden faithful won't be shy about letting Steve Kerr know how they feel about Tatum's minimal minutes in Paris.
Regardless of his role in excluding Brown from Team USA's roster, he'll also have to bear the brunt for it that night from a crowd that would love nothing more than to see the star tandem use their capabilities on the court as a vehicle for Kerr to feel their wrath.
It was evident last season that the emotions from the 2022 Finals hadn't completely dissipated. After Stephen Curry propelled Golden State to an epic overtime win in the Bay, Kerr fanned the flames when he instructed his team to sag off Brown, who generated a game-high 29 points in 22 minutes and put the clamps on Stephen Curry in a 140-88 shellacking in Boston.
The second of the two meetings between the Celtics and Warriors is on Jan. 20 at the Chase Center.
Honorable Mention:
Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY SportsWhile the Lakers were a play-in tournament team last season and project to finish in the same standing, this is one of the most iconic rivalries in sports, the best one that the Association has to offer, and it's still LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
When these two storied franchises meet, regardless of whether they're on the same footing, there's an added significance compared to a standard matchup.
The Celtics are in Los Angeles on Jan. 23, then host the purple and gold on Mar. 8.
Further Reading
Sam Hauser Grateful for Extension with Team That Gave Him His First Chance
Xavier Tillman Sr. Shares Celtics Star's Message Before NBA Finals Game 3
Brad Stevens Shares Encouraging Rehab Update on Kristaps Porzingis
Jayson Tatum Opens Up About 'Challenging and Humbling' Olympic Experience
Jrue Holiday Makes History in Team USA's Gold Medal Win
Fenway Sports Group Considering Buying the Celtics
Here's What to Know about Jaylen Brown's Boston XChange
Jayson Tatum Gets Candid about Relationship with Jaylen Brown
Celtics Rookie Anton Watson Shares Brad Stevens' Message to Him
Celtics' Coaching Staff Changes Match Theme of Boston's Offseason
Al Horford, Raising Cane's, and a Region that Loves Him
On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA's Best Role Player
