Celtics' Shockingly Easy Second Half Schedule Can Help Catch Cavaliers

Ricardo Klein | Feb 15, 2025

Feb 10, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics had a stellar first half of the season despite a shaky month of January.

Nonetheless, the Celtics are an elite team in the league and are arguably the best team in the league. Boston is still the favorite and, at worst, a top-three team in the league.

Boston has all the tools to get the job done in the second half, and they will also have all the help in the world.

According to the remaining strength of the schedule, Boston has the easiest schedule remaining in the season.

Celtics expert Noa Dalzell shared via X.

The Celtics have the third easiest schedule remaining https://t.co/mS8wT7DtFM

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) February 15, 2025

The Celtics have 27 games remaining in the season.

They are only 5.5 games back from the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. On top of that, the Celtics will face the Cavaliers one more time this season.

So far, the Celtics have the edge on the Cavs, 2-1 on the season series. Boston will look to win the season series outright when they face each other on Feb. 28 at the TD Garden.

Some of the more relatively easy games that Boston has remaining on its schedule feature the Portland Trail Blazers (twice), the Brooklyn Nets (twice), the Washington Wizards, the Utah Jazz, and the Charlotte Hornets to close out the season (twice).

As for their tougher challenges, they feature the Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New York Knicks (twice).

The Celtics will have some challenging games on their schedule, but for the most part, it will be easy for their standards. The only two teams with an easier schedule are the Wizards and the Toronto Raptors.

As for the Cavaliers, they have the 12th easiest schedule.

The Celtics sit in a great spot as we hit the final quarter of the season.

Offensively, the Celtics rank fifth in points per game (117.20, third in average score margin (+9.1), ninth in total rebounds per game (53.4), and fourth in assist/turnover (2.18).

Defensively, the Celtics are an elite group ranking fifth in opponents' points per game (108.1), seventh in opponents' points in the paint per game (46.9), and second in opponent blocks per game (4.0).

The Celtics are a terrific team, and it will only be a matter of time before they look to prove it again in mid-April and beyond.

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For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.