BOSTON — The Celtics will have to wait until next summer to try to make it back-to-back NBA titles. But we now know who they’ll play as they look to win an NBA Cup during the season.
We’re still waiting on the full 2024-25 NBA schedule to be released, but the league announced all the details for the second annual NBA Cup on Tuesday. The Celtics will compete in East Group C, which will pit them against the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Washington Wizards during group play.
The funky courts will return around the NBA on Nov. 12 when the tournament tips off league-wide. Here’s the schedule for Boston’s NBA Cup matchups in group play:
November 12: Hawks @ Celtics
November 19: Cavaliers @ Celtics
November 22: Celtics @ Wizards
November 29: Celtics @ Bulls
The Celtics were 3-1 in group play last season, with their only loss coming to the Magic in Orlando. It was a costly one though, as the 17-point defeat forced Boston to run up the score on the Chicago Bulls a few nights later. The Celtics notched a 124-97 victory at TD Garden over the Bulls, which was enough to make up the difference in the point differential department and the Celtics advanced to the knockout round.
The Celtics failed to make it to Las Vegas last season though, losing to the Pacers, 122-112, in Indiana. The Pacers made it to the title round last year, falling to the Los Angles Lakers for the first-ever NBA Cup.
This year’s knockout round will start with the quarterfinals on Dec. 10 and 11. Teams that advance will then head to Las Vegas for the semifinals on Dec. 14, followed by the title game on Dec. 17.
Last regular season, the 64-win Celtics went 11-3 against the teams they’re set to face in this year’s In-Season tourney. Boston also squared off against the Cavaliers in the NBA playoffs, beating Cleveland in five games in the East semifinals en route to the franchise’s 18th NBA title.
