The Boston Celtics will begin their 2026-27 season with a trip to the Detroit Pistons on October 20.
Joe Mazzulla’s team, which has undergone significant change this summer, will look to hit the ground running against one of the surprise packages of last season.
Interestingly, the Pistons won their regular-season series against Boston last season, securing three wins in four games. Mazzulla will undoubtedly remind his team of that fact before Boston gets its season underway in Motor City.
The game against Detroit will be the first chance for Celtics fans to get a detailed look at the new roster. Boston made the tough decision to part ways with Jaylen Brown this summer, with Paul George heading to the Celtics in return.
Assuming George is healthy to begin the season, the Pistons game will be the first competitive look at how the veteran forward fits next to Jayson Tatum. Furthermore, Celtics fans will also find out who Mazzulla sees as the starting big man, following the addition of Mitchell Robinson this summer.
Nevertheless, the Pistons won’t be an easy challenge for Boston and will certainly test what level the team is at to begin the new season.
Celtics To Face Miami Heat On Christmas Day
The Celtics have also been handed a Christmas Day game, having been missed off the slate of matchups last season. Mazzulla’s team will face off against the Miami Heat.
That matchup will have some extra spice, as the Heat managed to beat the Celtics in the race to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this summer. Interestingly, it was Boston’s failed pursuit of Giannis that ultimately led Brown to be traded to Philadelphia.
Still, a Christmas Day matchup against a genuine rival will always make for good television. Both Boston and Miami will head into the season feeling like they’ve got a point to prove. Each fanbase would relish ruining the other’s holiday celebrations, too.
Jaylen Brown Reveals Pressure Of Playing For Celtics
With two games for next season now announced, this feels like a good moment to remind everyone of the pressure that comes with playing for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown discussed those pressures during his introductory news conference for the 76ers.
“I played in Boston for the last 10 years — pressure is high there. It’s Titletown, they expect to win every single year, and they’re always looking for someone to blame,” Brown said. “Some of those years, it was me, so I’ve been through that. All I come with is my work ethic, my mentality, impact on winning, and that’s just my approach.”
Multiple members of the Celtics will likely feel the pressure next season. After all, without Brown in the rotation, multiple players will be stepping into new, and potentially larger roles.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about the upcoming season. Now that we have two key dates of the calendar filled in, we can start making our plans to ensure we catch all the action.
We should get the rest of the Celtics schedule later this week.
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