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We can comb through the just released schedule for back-to-backs, homecomings for former Celtics, and nationally televised games, but let's break it down into wins and losses. It's a fool's errand to predict every outcome, but let's break it down into manageable five-game series like a major league manager might do in baseball. Win every series and you've got a chance heading into the playoffs.
If a team won 3 out of every 5 games in the NBA, they'd be looking at a near 50-win year and probably a high seed in the Eastern Conference. I'm sure Brad Stevens wants his team to take each game at a time, but I've broken down the schedule into roughly five-game chunks and made some predictions:
| Philadelphia, Toronto, San Antonio, @Indiana, Washington | 3-2: win the opener and split the four games vs. playoff teams. |
| @Milwaukee, Indiana, Atlanta, @Oklahoma City, @ Houston | 2-3: win the home games or steal one on the road |
| Dallas, Brooklyn, @Brooklyn, @Atlanta, Philadelphia | 4-1: bury the Nets |
| Washington, @Orlando, @Miami, @Sacramento, @San Antonio, @ New Orleans | 3-3: no back-to-backs in this stretch and the Celtics were surprisingly good on the road last year plus MEXICO CITY! |
| Chicago, Golden State, @Charlotte, Cleveland, @Detroit | 2-3: two B2B's that both finish on the road in December |
| Atlanta, Minnesota, @Charlotte, @Detroit, New York | 4-1: a 5-game win streak would be nice, but one loss ain't bad |
| LAL, Brooklyn, @Brooklyn, Detroit | 3-1: another candidate for a win streak, but I see another loss |
| @Chicago, @Memphis, @New York, Indiana | 1-3: a 3-games-in-4-nights land mine |
| Phoenix, @Washington, @Dallas, @Toronto, Chicago, @Philadelphia, @Washington | 4-3: two travelling B2B's could prove costly, but not too bad |
| Denver, Orlando, @Orlando, @New York, Detroit | 4-1: split the home-and-home with the Magic |
| @Cleveland, Sacramento, @Milwaukee, LAC (ALL STAR WEEK) | 1-3: road block before the break, but 31-24 keeps them on track with win-3-out-of-5-game pace |
| @Utah, @Denver, @Minnesota | 2-1: all close games |
| Milwaukee, Miami, Utah, Portland, New York, @Cleveland | 4-2: this is the most important 10-day stretch on the schedule |
| Memphis, Houston, @Indiana, Oklahoma City | 2-2: four days off between Rockets and Pacers will help |
| @Toronto, @Philadelphia, Orlando, Toronto | 2-2: another 3-games-in-4-nights |
| @Phoenix, @LAC, @Portland, @Golden State, @LAL | 2-3: just survive |
| New Orleans, Milwaukee, @Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami | 3-2: 46-36 should be enough for a 6 or 7 seed in the East |
It's not a huge improvement from last year's 40 wins, but gone are the days of those multiple game losing streaks and sub .500 records.