OKC Thunder: Ranking difficulty of seeding schedules for all 22 teams
16th) Celtics – Cumulative opponent win total: 285
Seeding Game Record: 5-3, cemented as third seed, will play 76ers
- Bucks 119 – Celtics 112 (July 31)
- Celtics 128 – Blazers 124 (August 2)
- Heat 112 – Celtics 106 (August 4)
- Celtics 149 – Nets 115 (August 5)
- Celtics 122 – Raptors 100 (August 7)
- Celtics 122 – Magic 119 in OT (August 9)
- Celtics 122 – Grizzlies 107 August 11)
- Wizards 96 – Celtics 90 (August 13)
The Celtics benefit by being a national TV darling and subsequently don’t land any early starts other than one matinee (3:30).
Boston would prefer to land the second seed but they trail the Raptors by three games. That means the fifth game on their schedule could be the most important depending on what occurs prior to that game. They get help via the Raptors’ extremely difficult schedule in comparison to their own.
Four of the Celtics’ initial games represent their most difficult schedule segment.
Although the Bucks are basically locked atop the league Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t know how to rest and with that being the first game for both teams Milwaukee will want to get out to a strong start.
Portland will be gunning to win every game. And with news Kemba Walker’s minutes will be monitored, that’s not going to help Boston, especially when they face a team with a strong backcourt like the Blazers.
Just as the Celtics will be chasing the Raptors, so too will the Heat be chasing them so that third game will be a much watch affair.