Let’s hit the way back machine for the announcement of the first Celtics regular season game in 2023-2024:
Only Rocky announcing he’ll fight Drago on Christmas Day in Russia felt fitting for the schedule leak of this year’s December 25th slate. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Celtics will be in Los Angeles for the holidays to face the Lakers. Here’s the rest of the marquee matchups:
NBA’s Christmas Day games for the 2023-24 season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium:
Bucks @ Knicks
76ers @ Heat
Celtics @ Lakers
Mavericks @ Suns
Warriors @ Nuggets— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 11, 2023
The team has traditionally been on the west coast to start their December slate. But with the inaugural in-season tournament taking up November and ending in Las Vegas the first week of December, that will push their road trip later in the year.
Last season, their two rivalry games against LA produced two of the most dramatic wins. On December 13th, Boston built a 20-point lead at Crypto.com Arena before the Lakers took the lead in the 4th quarter. After two missed Anthony Davis free throws, Jayson Tatum tied it in the clutch and the Celtics ran away with it in overtime. Six weeks later, it was the Lakers that dominated most of regulation until LeBron James missed a game-winning bunny. Jaylen Brown scored eleven of his game-high 37 points in OT to sweep the season series.
Heading into next year, the two conference finalists are considered contenders for their 18th championship. Our friends at DraftKings currently have the Celtics second behind the Nuggets at +500 to raise the Larry O’Brien with the Lakers trailing Phoenix, Milwaukee, and Miami at +1200.
