January features three potential reunions at TD Garden.
Payton Pritchard and the Celtics will try to surprise and make some noise this season. Michael Dwyer/AP Photo
August 15, 2025 | 10:27 AM
1 minute to read
When the 2025-26 NBA season begins, the Celtics will enter as owners of the longest active playoff streak.
The last time they didn’t make the postseason was in 2013-14, when a Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, and Brandon Bass-led team finished 25-57. Since then, Boston has earned its spot 11 consecutive years.
Many on the outside feel as though that streak could come to a crashing halt this season, but it’s business as usual for the Celtics as they start fresh with a new-look roster.
The NBA released its full schedule Thursday. Here’s what the season looks like for the Celtics, who have the eighth-most nationally televised games despite their dramatically different core.
The early-season portion of the schedule could be tough for Boston, with games against potential Eastern Conference contenders Philadelphia (opening night, Oct. 22), New York, Detroit, and Cleveland in October.
Matchups with the Magic, Clippers, and Timberwolves highlight a relatively light November with 14 games in 30 days.
December heats back up, with home games against the Lakers (Dec. 5), Heat (Dec. 19), and Pacers (Dec. 22). The Celtics won’t play on Christmas for the first time since 2015, but they will have a lovely five-game road trip around the holidays.
January features games against the Nuggets, Spurs, and Pacers again, with potential reunions on the 10th (Luke Kornet, Spurs), 26th (Jrue Holiday, Trail Blazers), and 28th (Kristaps Porzingis, Hawks). February has juicy matchups with the Knicks, Warriors, and Lakers.
Now that the schedule is out…will the Celtics make the playoffs?
Boston of course has the longest active streak of making it (11). In fact, there have only been 18 streaks in NBA history of 11+ post-season appearances.
The Celtics have three of those 18… pic.twitter.com/7ZUmKqUuk2
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) August 14, 2025
Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg is on line to play at TD Garden on March 6 at 7 p.m., then the Warriors, Timberwolves, and defending champion Thunder will also come to town later in the month. The regular season finishes with matchups against the Heat, Bucks, and Magic in April.
ESPN notes that the Celtics have the easiest schedule on paper and are tied for the fewest back to backs. Time will tell if the streak stays alive.
Trevor Hass is a sports producer for Boston.com, where he writes and edits stories about Boston’s professional teams, among other tasks.
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