Power Ranking Celtics' Most Important Games of 2023-24 NBA Regular Season

The Boston Celtics won't know until the 2024 NBA postseason whether their major moves this summer were actually worth it.

They will, however, drop hints over the course of the upcoming 2023-24 campaign about whether this is finally a championship roster or not.

While 82 games on the schedule technically count the same, a few will—subjectively at least—seem to hold some extra significance. From measuring-stick matchups against Western Conference elites to heavyweight bouts with fellow Eastern Conference contenders, here are the five biggest games on Boston's schedule.

5. Mar. 7 at Denver Nuggets

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DENVER, CO - JANUARY 1: Opponents Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics stand on the court during the game on January 1, 2023 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)

While interconference collisions lose a little weight based on the lack of tie-breaking implications, the Celtics will get a huge chance to prove their championship mettle against the defending champion Nuggets.

The contest itself will be a handful and then some. Handling two-time MVP Nikola Jokić is hard enough, but containing him plus the rest of Denver's deftly crafted supporting cast is a puzzle no one could solve last season. This game, as much as any, will show whether Boston's offseason investment in size (specifically, 7'3" Kristaps Porziņģis) has this club better prepared to deal with the literally large obstacles on its championship path (like the 6'11", 284-pound Jokić).

That this game was thrown in the middle of a particularly daunting stretch only ups the difficulty level. This will be the second game of a five-game road trip that also includes stops in Cleveland (two nights before this tilt) and Phoenix (two nights after).

4. Nov. 15 at Philadelphia 76ers

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BOSTON, MA - MAY 14: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics & Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers embrace after the game on May 14, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

No, the 76ers haven't been able to put together a deep playoff run yet. And yes, this team still has to tackle the James Harden situation, which has grown increasingly uncomfortable with the bearded baller reportedly no-showing for Philly's practice Wednesday, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

All of that said, Boston can hardly afford to overlook its Atlantic Division rival. After all, the Sixers still have the reigning MVP in Joel Embiid, a rising star in Tyrese Maxey and a strong supporting cast, which could grow stronger based on whatever the Sixers bring back in a seemingly inevitable Harden trade.

Just last season, Philly pushed Boston to seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals before imploding on offense in Games 6 and 7. The Celtics need to stay a step ahead of the Sixers, and this game—the second of their four meetings and first of a four-game road trip—could help send the message they're still a tier above.

3. Dec. 25 at Los Angeles Lakers

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Boston, MA - January 28: Los Angeles Lakers SF LeBron James slices through Boston Celtics SG Jaylen Brown, left, and PF Grant Williams, right, on his way to a lay-up in the first quarter. The Lakers lost to the Celtics, 125-121, in overtime. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The NBA is always in good shape when the Celtics and Lakers, its two most storied franchises, are legitimate contenders. That's why the schedule-makers set this collision for a 5 p.m. ET tip on Christmas.

This game will be played in front of a global audience and could send a huge momentum boost to whichever side comes out on top. The Celtics arguably have more on-paper talent, but superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis are good enough to render any on-paper advantage effectively meaningless.

Boston swept its two-game series with L.A. last season, but both contests went to overtime and were decided by four points apiece.

2. Feb. 11 at Miami Heat

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BOSTON, MA - MAY 29: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks to pass the ball during round 3 game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on May 29, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Celtics and Heat have squared off in three of the last four Eastern Conference finals. Miami has won two of those series, including the most recent clash when Boston gave itself a chance to make history while climbing out of an 0-3 hole to tie it up 3-3, only to flat-line in a 19-point defeat in Game 7.

"We failed. I failed and we let the whole city down," Brown said afterward. "In spite of whatever circumstance we had this year we rose to the occasion. We got to this point and we came up short."

The Celtics know they can beat the Heat—they came on top of a seven-game thriller just one year ago—but at this point, they probably know they'll need to knock off Miami to get out of the East. This game, the final of three meetings and Boston's second-to-last game before the All-Star break, could help give the Celtics confidence they can overcome what's become one of their biggest obstacles.

1. Apr. 9 at Milwaukee Bucks

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MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Damian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks pose for a portrait during 2023-24 NBA Media Day on October 02, 2023 at the Froedtert & Medical Science of Wisconsin Sports Science Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

All due respect to the Heat, the 76ers and anyone else who fashions themselves as Eastern Conference contenders, but if on-paper talent wins out, this conference is headed for a Bucks-Celtics clash with a ticket to the championship round up for grabs.

Boston and Milwaukee won a combined 115 games last season, but playoff failures convinced both to make major moves this summer. The Celtics struck first by adding Porziņģis. The Bucks countered by winning the Damian Lillard sweepstakes. Boston responded by getting Holiday, who spent the past three seasons in Milwaukee and was a major part of the package the Bucks sent to Portland for Lillard.

Given how much talent each team already had—Tatum and Brown in Boston, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton in Milwaukee—it isn't a stretch to argue for either roster being the Association's best. Both teams have championship-or-bust expectations, and this clash (the final of four meetings) could help give one side a boost if it holds tie-breaking implications in deciding the East's No. 1 seed.