The Celtics will open the 2015-16 season with a three-game homestand at TD Garden, starting Oct. 28 against the Philadelphia 76ers, the league announced Wednesday. The Celtics will then play the Raptors and Spurs before traveling to face the Pacers on Nov. 4.
Coming off a playoff appearance behind coach Brad Stevens, who is viewed as a rising star in the league, the Celtics apparently gained some respect from national television executives.
The Celtics have two games on TNT — Nov. 24 against the Hawks and Jan. 7 against the Bulls. And five games will be televised by ESPN, matchups against the Bulls, Pacers, Jazz, Thunder, and Warriors.
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The Celtics will not play on Christmas, which is typically reserved for marquee matchups. But on Feb. 7, Super Bowl Sunday, Rajon Rondo and the Kings will visit TD Garden. The Celtics and Kings will also face each other Dec. 3 in Mexico City.
The most alluring games on Boston’s schedule might come against Cleveland. The Cavaliers swept the Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs, but the series ended on a sour note.
In Game 4, Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk and Cavaliers forward Kevin Love tangled while chasing a loose ball. Love’s left shoulder was dislocated on the play. He required surgery and missed the remainder of the playoffs, as the Cavaliers fell to the Warriors in the NBA Finals.
Although Love ultimately forgave Olynyk, the Celtics forward received threats from Cleveland fans for weeks after the incident. This season, the Cavaliers and Celtics will meet in Boston Dec. 15 before playing in Cleveland Feb. 5 and March 5. The Warriors visit TD Garden Dec. 11.
Former Celtics forward Brandon Bass will make his Garden return with the Lakers Dec. 30. Doc Rivers, Paul Pierce, and the Clippers will come to town Feb. 10, and Kevin Garnett and the Timberwolves will visit Boston Dec. 21.
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The Celtics will begin the preseason with a pair of exhibition games in Europe. They will play Olimpia Milano in Milan Oct. 6 before traveling to Madrid to face Real Madrid Oct. 8.
Boston did not make a franchise-altering move this offseason, but appears to have upgraded its roster in several areas. The team traded for two-time All-Star forward David Lee and forward Perry Jones III, and signed forward Amir Johnson. In the draft, the Celtics selected guards Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter in the first round before taking forward Jordan Mickey in the second. Boston also re-signed free agent forwards Jonas Jerebko and Jae Crowder.
| Month | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Oct 28 | vs. Philadelphia | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Oct 30 | vs. Toronto | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Nov 1 | vs. San Antonio | 3:30 PM |
| Wed, Nov 4 | at Indiana | 7:00 PM |
| Fri, Nov 6 | vs. Washington | 7:30 PM |
| Tue, Nov 10 | at Milwaukee | 8:00 PM |
| Wed, Nov 11 | vs. Indiana | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Nov 13 | vs. Atlanta | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Nov 15 | at Oklahoma City | 7:00 PM |
| Mon, Nov 16 | at Houston | 8:00 PM |
| Wed, Nov 18 | vs. Dallas | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Nov 20 | vs. Brooklyn | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Nov 22 | at Brooklyn | 6:00 PM |
| Tue, Nov 24 | at Atlanta | 8:00 PM |
| Wed, Nov 25 | vs. Philadelphia | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Nov 27 | vs. Washington | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Nov 29 | at Orlando | 6:00 PM |
| Mon, Nov 30 | at Miami | 7:30 PM |
| Thu, Dec 3 | at Sacramento | 10:00 PM |
| Sat, Dec 5 | at San Antonio | 8:30 PM |
| Mon, Dec 7 | at New Orleans | 8:00 PM |
| Wed, Dec 9 | vs. Chicago | 7:00 PM |
| Fri, Dec 11 | vs. Golden State | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Dec 12 | at Charlotte | 7:00 PM |
| Tue, Dec 15 | vs. Cleveland | 7:30 PM |
| Wed, Dec 16 | at Detroit | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Dec 18 | vs. Atlanta | 7:30 PM |
| Mon, Dec 21 | vs. Minnesota | 7:30 PM |
| Wed, Dec 23 | at Charlotte | 7:00 PM |
| Sat, Dec 26 | at Detroit | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Dec 27 | vs. NY Knicks | 6:00 PM |
| Wed, Dec 30 | vs. LA Lakers | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Jan 2 | vs. Brooklyn | 3:00 PM |
| Mon, Jan 4 | at Brooklyn | 7:30 PM |
| Wed, Jan 6 | vs. Detroit | 7:30 PM |
| Thu, Jan 7 | at Chicago | 8:00 PM |
| Sun, Jan 10 | at Memphis | 6:00 PM |
| Tue, Jan 12 | at NY Knicks | 7:30 PM |
| Wed, Jan 13 | vs. Indiana | 8:00 PM |
| Fri, Jan 15 | vs. Phoenix | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Jan 16 | at Washington | 7:00 PM |
| Mon, Jan 18 | at Dallas | 8:30 PM |
| Wed, Jan 20 | at Toronto | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Jan 22 | vs. Chicago | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Jan 23 | at Philadelphia | 7:00 PM |
| Mon, Jan 25 | at Washington | 7:00 PM |
| Wed, Jan 27 | vs. Denver | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Jan 29 | vs. Orlando | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Jan 31 | at Orlando | 6:00 PM |
| Tue, Feb 2 | at NY Knicks | 7:30 PM |
| Wed, Feb 3 | vs. Detroit | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Feb 5 | at Cleveland | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Feb 7 | vs. Sacramento | 1:00 PM |
| Tue, Feb 9 | at Milwaukee | 8:00 PM |
| Wed, Feb 10 | vs. LA Clippers | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Feb 19 | at Utah | 10:30 PM |
| Sun, Feb 21 | at Denver | 5:00 PM |
| Mon, Feb 22 | at Minnesota | 8:00 PM |
| Thu, Feb 25 | vs. Milwaukee | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Feb 27 | vs. Miami | 3:00 PM |
| Mon, Feb 29 | vs. Utah | 7:30 PM |
| Wed, Mar 2 | vs. Portland | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Mar 4 | vs. NY Knicks | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Mar 5 | at Cleveland | 7:00 PM |
| Wed, Mar 9 | vs. Memphis | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Mar 11 | vs. Houston | 7:30 PM |
| Tue, Mar 15 | at Indiana | 7:00 PM |
| Wed, Mar 16 | vs. Oklahoma City | 7:00 PM |
| Fri, Mar 18 | at Toronto | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Mar 20 | at Philadelphia | 6:00 PM |
| Mon, Mar 21 | vs. Orlando | 7:30 PM |
| Wed, Mar 23 | vs. Toronto | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Mar 26 | at Phoenix | 10:00 PM |
| Mon, Mar 28 | at LA Clippers | 10:30 PM |
| Thu, Mar 31 | at Portland | 10:00 PM |
| Fri, Apr 1 | at Golden State | 10:30 PM |
| Sun, Apr 3 | at LA Lakers | 9:30 PM |
| Wed, Apr 6 | vs. New Orleans | 7:30 PM |
| Fri, Apr 8 | vs. Milwaukee | 7:30 PM |
| Sat, Apr 9 | at Atlanta | 7:30 PM |
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.