The Boston Celtics might very well have won the 2022 NBA championship had they simply been better rested heading into the playoffs. Their legs betrayed them against a Golden State Warriors squad that, while older on the whole, managed to play considerably fewer postseason games on their way to a six-game finals victory over the Celtics.
With that in mind, Boston added point guard Malcolm Brogdon and veteran forward Danilo Gallinari to increase its lineup flexibility and ease the load on often-injured, older players on their roster. .
Back-to-back games in particular are a place in the schedule where players might rest, giving others who get less playing time a bump. So let’s take a look at where that might happen in the 2022-23 season that we know when they’ll be coming.
Full Boston Celtics 2022-23 schedule released – these are the important dates https://t.co/yPprDH37FN
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) August 17, 2022
Oct. 21 (Miami Heat) or Oct. 22 (Orlando Magic)
With the Magic being the easier of the two teams, we expect that to be the focus if any rest is taken so early in the season.
Nov. 4 (Chicago Bulls) or Nov. 5 (New York Knicks)
Still early in the season, it’s likely few if any players rest, but barring a Donovan Mitchell trade, we’d bet it happens with the Knicks.
Nov. 11 (Denver Nuggets) or Nov. 12 (Detroit Pistons)
We might start to see rest being taken more seriously at this point, nearly a month into the 2022-23 season. The Pistons are an obvious choice.
Nov. 27 (Washington Wizards) or Nov. 28 (Charlotte Hornets)
This might be the rare circumstance where it makes more sense to hold players out in the first game against the Wiz, but if so, expect none of them named Jayson to take a night off so long as Brad Beal is suiting up.
Dec. 4 (Brooklyn Nets) or Dec. 5 (Toronto Raptors)
It could go either way here with both teams looking like a potentially tough out, but at least for now. It seems like a home game against the Raptors might be easier to rest big men against.
Dec. 12 (Los Angeles Clippers) or Dec. 13 (Los Angeles Lakers)
The Lakers might be better than we expect next season despite no major changes to the team, but even still, given the rivalry, we don’t think either game is a rest opportunity given the Clippers contending status.
Jan. 11 (New Orleans Pelicans) or Jan. 12 (Brooklyn Nets)
Both these teams are likely to be good, and by January, rest will be in order. If the roster holds current with the Nets, the lack of big man depth suggests this could be a night for Al Horford or Robert Williams III to take a night off.
Jan. 23 (Orlando Magic) or Jan. 24 (Miami Heat)
While the Magic might be better than they have been in recent seasons by this point in the season, we still expect them to be the easier of the two teams here to beat, so it might be better to rest in Orlando.
Feb. 14 (Milwaukee Bucks) or Feb. 15 (Detroit Pistons)
The Pistons might be done tanking finally, but we don’t expect them to be a match for Boston even sans a few key players, so expect some rest in the Motor City.
March 5 (New York Knicks) or March 6 (Cleveland Cavaliers)
This one could go either way pending trades before the start of the season or at the deadline, but we’re inclined to believe a Knicks home game would be the more probable of the two with the rosters as is.
March 17 (Portland Trail Blazers) or March 18 (Utah Jazz)
While it might be a reunion of sorts to see Danny Ainge with his new team in Salt Lake City, we don’t expect many of Boston’s best players to take the floor given Utah’s status as a rebuilding squad.
March 30 (Milwaukee Bucks) or March 31 (Utah Jazz)
As with the road game, so with the home game: if you want to see Boston’s stars play big minutes at TD Garden, pick another game than the Jazz tilt on the 31st.
April 4 (Philadelphia 76ers) or April 5 (Toronto Raptors)
This late in the season, BOTH might end up being rest games, but if we had to choose, it’d probably be the Raptors, pending potential tie-breaking situations.
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