NBA makes several changes to Celtics schedule

Mark your calendars. Per the NBA, the Celtics will have their February schedule changed accordingly:

• The February 12th home game hosting the Toronto Raptors will now be on February 11th at 7:30 pm EST.
• The February 14th home game hosting the Detroit Pistons will now be on February 12th at 8 pm EST.
• A game that was previously scheduled to be in the second half of the season in Washington to play the Wizards will now be on February 14th at 1 pm EST.

Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

To date, the league has postponed twenty-two games including three consecutive games for the Celtics against the Heat, Bulls, and Magic between January 10th and January 13th. During that stretch, Jayson Tatum, Robert Williams, and Carsen Edwards have all tested positive for COVID-19 and several players including Jaylen Brown, Tristan Thompson, Grant Williams, Javonte Green, and Semi Ojeleye have missed time due to contract tracing. They’ve also juggled start times over the last few weeks in order to accommodate additional PCR and rapid gameday testing due to new health and safety protocols.

To begin the year, the NBA only released the schedule of the first half of the regular season in anticipation of COVID-related postponements. There was some thinking that rescheduled games could happen at the midway point, but with the Washington and Memphis already delaying six games each, the league has instead opted to fit them into the first half of the year, including the February 14th matinee with the Wizards. There is also a plan for the league to host a downsized, two-day All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.