New Details Emerge About Celtics Regular-Season Schedule

Two rivalry matchups are the first announced for the Celtics' 2023-24 schedule.

Bobby Krivitsky | Aug 11, 2023

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

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The Celtics will play on Christmas for the eighth-straight year, meaning they've done so throughout Jayson Tatum's career, as the four-time All-Star enters his seventh season in Boston.

And while the NBA usually sticks with inter-conference matchups, they're using the marquee date on its regular-season calendar to showcase one of the most iconic rivalries in sports, as the Celtics and Lakers square off in Los Angeles on Dec. 25.

USATSI_19879335 — Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

As details about the schedule for the upcoming campaign continue to come out, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports Boston will welcome the Heat to TD Garden on Oct. 27.

While the Celtics nearly made history by digging out of a 3-0 series deficit in this year's Eastern Conference Finals, after Tatum hurt his ankle on the first play of Game 7, limiting his ability to contribute, poor shooting fed into the hosts lacking the necessary fight defensively, resulting in a 103-84 season-ending loss.

And while an October matchup lacks the stakes these two franchises have grown accustomed to battling for in the playoffs, facing each other in three of the last four Eastern Conference Finals, those battles have created a rivalry whose intensity continues amplifying, making for must-watch games any time these two clash.

Further Reading

Celtics and Lakers to Square Off in Christmas Matchup Showcasing NBA's Marquee Rivalry

Latvian Basketball Association Denies Report on Kristaps Porzingis’ Foot Injury

Examining How Celtics' Starting Lineup Might Shapeshift This Season

Weighing Whether Celtics Should Sign Kelly Oubre

Wyc Grousbeck Reacts to Possibility of Selling Boston Celtics

Dwyane Wade Discusses Jayson Tatum's Next Step, Him and Jaylen Brown's Challenge, Heat Culture, Pat Riley, Damian Lillard, and Life After Basketball

Derrick White on Signing Extension with Celtics: 'I Love Being Here in Boston'

Jaylen Brown Doesn't Want Celtics' Defensive Identity to 'Go Out the Door' With Marcus Smart

Why Celtics Should Enter 2023-24 Season Optimistic About Most Important Area of Improvement

Sam Cassell Discusses What Brought Him Back to Boston and What He'll Bring to the Celtics

Marcus Smart Reflects on His Time with Celtics: 'I Left Everything I Had'

Published Aug 11, 2023

BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.