Boston Sports Extra

The 2018-19 NBA regular season is approaching. Here are a handful of dates to mark on your Boston Celtics calendar:

Tue, Oct 16 vs Philadelphia 76ers

The Celtics open the season at home against the Philadelphia 76ers. Led by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, the Sixers will be a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference for years to come.

The two teams faced off on nine occasions in 2017-18, though the Celtics won seven, with four coming in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Fri, Nov 9 @ Utah Jazz

Just 12-games into the season, Gordon Hayward will make his return to Utah. Hayward chose to join the Celtics in free agency after seven seasons with the Jazz. Fans and teammates were understandably upset, though the backlash Hayward received from the decision was shocking.

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Watching Hayward respond on the court will be must see television.

Tue, Dec 25 vs Philadelphia 76ers

Boston and Philadelphia face off once again on Christmas Day. This will be their second of four games. With a playoff rematch looking likely, it will be important to get the edge in the regular season.

Sat, Jan 26 vs Golden State Warriors

The defending champion Warriors will come to Boston in late-January for what may be an NBA Finals preview. In their last six head-to-head matchups, both have a 3-3 record, with two of their wins coming away from home.

This will be an important test for Boston, as they look to defend home court against the most talented team in the NBA.

Thu, Feb 7 vs Los Angeles Lakers

After joining the Lakers in free agency, LeBron James managed to change to landscape of the entire NBA. He not only opened the door for the Celtics in the Eastern Conference, but also amplified the NBA’s greatest rivalry. Don’t forget to pull out your “Beat LA” shirts when LeBron and the Lakers come to Boston.

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Fri, Feb 15 – Sun, Feb 17 All-Star Weekend

The Celtics are sure to have multiple representatives during All-Star weekend. Last season, both Kyrie Irving and Al Horford represented the Celtics in the All-Star game, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the Rising Stars game, and Horford in the Skills Challenge.

With the amount of talent in Boston, I would not be surprised if all five starters were voted to the All-Star game.

Thu, Feb 21 @ Milwaukee Bucks

This will be the third and final regular season matchup between the Celtics and Bucks in 2018-19. The two faced off in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs last season. The Celtics would win the series, though they would lose all three road games. Winning in Milwaukee will be an important hurdle for Boston to overcome.

Tue, Apr 9 @ Washington Wizards

The Celtics conclude their regular season in Washington, D.C. A rivalry with the Wizards sprouted after the Celtics eliminated Washington in seven games in the 2016-17 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Wizards will surely be a playoff team once again in 2018-19, making this final regular season game more significant than most.

Who’s got the most to prove going into the 18-19′ season?

The Celtics enter the new season with an intriguing mix of players on the roster. They have a collection of established stars, developing contributors, long term projects, and unknowns. In this article, I’ll take a look at who on the roster has the most to prove to fans and the organization come October. Let’s get started.

Robert Williams, F/C

This one is a no brainer for most Celtics fans who have been paying attention this summer. Williams has a well-documented history of laziness. Two incidents specifically come to mind- the first where he overslept his introductory conference call. The other is when he missed his plane flight to the first summer league practice of the summer. There are certainly motivation problems here, and he needs to be whipped into shape.

The other major concern is his play style. Williams is a defensive minded player, and more than holds his own inside the paint on both ends. But his shooting is a major concern. He seems to be the only player on the roster who can’t make a shot from outside the paint. Williams has a lot to prove this season if he wants to silence his doubters.

Terry Rozier, G

I know it seems like Scary Terry has nothing left to prove after his emphatic showing at the end of the regular season and into the playoffs last year. However, this is the year where Rozier really has to show what he’s got. This is a contract year for him, and he’s got to keep up the production if he wants to get his money.

Rozier won’t get as many minutes as he got in the postseason last year, but it’s what he does in the minutes he plays that counts. It’s not like Rozier doesn’t have areas to improve in, either. A big improvement spot that comes to mind is consistency (Remember that horrendous game 7 of the ECF?). It’s time for Rozier to show out if he wants to get paid.

Gordon Hayward, F

Yes, Gordon Hayward has a lot to prove this season. After All-Star campaigns in Utah, Hayward only appeared in a Celtics uniform for five minutes this year. After Boston’s run of success, Hayward’s value became more and more downplayed as the year went on. He needs to show Boston fans the superstar player that the C’s signed last summer. He doesn’t need to post the same numbers that he was posting with the Jazz. However, he does need to show the fans that he can still play at a high level after the devastating injury that he suffered. Can he come back from it? Signs point to yes, but he needs to come out and shove it in our faces that he’s a top-tier talent.

Got any you felt were left off the list? Any you think shouldn’t have made it? Tell me on Twitter: @jackbuffett_