Circling Dates: Celtics Calendar

There's something youthfully joyful about printing out the season schedule and circling dates of interest.  By now you've likely already found the first meeting with the Lakers (Jan. 30) and the Miami Heat (opening night Oct. 26).  What I wanted to do was take a big picture look at the schedule.  Here are some of my initial thoughts.

The first 10 games should be a pretty good litmus test for the season. We play the Heat twice and go on our first road trip (which includes games against the Thunder, Mavs, and Heat).  The next month and a half seems fairly standard, though it stands out to me that the Celtics will be on National TV 6 times in December (7 if you count NBA TV).

Things get pretty brutal at the end of January and all the way through February.  They start off with a 4 game West coast trip (including that first Lakers game).  They come home for a homestand but they have to play the Mavericks, Magic, Bobcats (back to back), Lakers (again), and Heat.  Oh yeah, and the Nets, but that's likely going to feel like a practice.  Or perhaps a trap game because they head right back out on the road again for another 4 games in the West.  I'm tired just from writing that.  

Keep in mind that the trade deadline will be folded right into that 2nd road trip.  Surely by that time we'll know what needs the team still has.  In my head I'm thinking the C's might target the end of the trip to bring Perkins slowly back from injury.

March would appear to be a much easier stretch, including several games against the assumed dregs of the league (76ers, Nets, Pacers, T-Wolves, etc.).  If the team coasts like it did last year, this would be a pretty coasty time to coast.  The last couple weeks (April) would appear to be a pretty good warmup for the playoffs with a game against the Bulls and the Heat mixed in with Wizards and Knicks.

Should be an interesting season.  Here are some other notes that people around the web picked up.

• The Lakers have the fewest back to back games (15) while the Celtics have 19 of them (the most is 23).
• Boston is featured in 22 national TV games (not including NBA TV)
• Sync your calendar - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN
• The 2010-11 schedule is out - RedsArmy.com - The Voice Of Celtics Fans