2017-18 Celtics schedule highlights: Hayward, Bradley and the Warriors

The 2017-18 NBA schedule has been out for a week, so let's dive into the Boston Celtics' marquee games for the upcoming season.

We've already detailed the Celtics' opening day showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Christmas Day home game against the Washington Wizards. There's also the London game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 11. Here's a selection of the rest:

There are three key returns, first with the new C's star coming back to the city he left. However, the Gordon Hayward return to Utah doesn't come until Mar. 28. The Celtics host the Jazz on Dec. 15, but Hayward's reckoning, so to speak, will be on a Wednesday night on ESPN.

It won't be nearly as hate-filled as Kevin Durant or LeBron James' respective returns to the teams they drafted, but it will certainly be an emotional evening at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

A much happier, but no less emotional, reunion will take place in late November with the return of Avery Bradley.



Bradley was the heart and soul of the franchise in recent seasons and neither side particularly wanted the breakup to happen. However, the Hayward signing made the trade of Bradley a necessity and Nov. 27 a date to bring a couple boxes of tissues to the Garden.



Nearly a month after Bradley comes back to TD, last season's Game 7 hero returns to Beantown. Kelly Olynyk, now with the Miami Heat, comes to Boston on Dec. 20 for Miami's only game in Boston. While Olynyk struggled at times in the Eastern Conference Finals and was ultimately let go in free agency, his Game 7 performance will be enough to earn a standing ovation this December, if not forever.

Beyond those three big returns, here are some other highlights from the Celtics schedule:

  • The defending champion Golden State Warriors ship up to Boston on Nov. 16 for a Thursday night TNT game. The Celtics head to Oakland for their first of two ABC Saturday night games on Jan. 27 (the other is at Houston on Mar. 3).
  • After the Celtics retire Paul Pierce's uniform on Feb. 11 against the Cavs, Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers come to Boston on Wednesday, Feb. 14.
  • The other Cavaliers trip to TD Garden is Jan. 3.
  • Beat LA! The two Lakers games are Nov. 8 (Boston) and Jan. 23 (Los Angeles).
  • #NetsPick: The Celtics have four matchups with the Brooklyn Nets: Nov. 14 and Jan. 6 in Brooklyn and  Dec. 31 and Apr. 11 in Boston.
  • Overall, the C's play more national TV games (34) than all but five teams (Warriors, Rockets, Cavaliers, Thunder and Lakers). Here's a breakdown of the entire league's TV slate.




Check out the full Celtics schedule here.

Picture: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images North America

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