2011-12 Boston Celtics Schedule Released

Well I can't say that I tuned into ESPN or NBATV earlier tonight as the special 66-game 2011-12 NBA regular season schedule was unveiled.

Nope, all I had to do was peruse Twitter and look at the schedule myself after it was posted to give you all the relevant information about the Boston Celtics.

I've already talked about the season opener on Christmas against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden but we also found out that from there, Boston travels to Miami (Dec. 27) and New Orleans (Dec. 28). The Celts home opener is Dec. 30 against the Detroit Pistons, talk about blah.

For those scoring at home, that's four games in the first six days of the season as the NBA crams 66 games into the normal 82-game time frame. Not that I'm complaining, the NBA's regular season is too long and there's way too many meaningless games. I was going to say its the worst in pro sports but then I remembered MLB is 162. Yeesh.

Of the 66 games, 48 will be against Eastern Conference teams and 18 vs. Western Conference teams. Meaning that Boston will play three West teams both home and away this season.

Notable games in January include a visit from the reigning champion Mavericks (Jan. 11) to TD Garden, Derrick Rose and the Bulls' first trip to Boston (Jan. 13) and Kendrick Perkins' triumphant return to the Garden (Jan. 16).

Apparently the NBA is into home-and-home series now as the Celts have three (Wizards, Magic, Cavs) in January alone. There are three back-to-back games in January as well but that's balanced out by a five-game homestand to start the month (Wizards, Nets, Pacers, Mavs, Bulls).

February begins with another five-game stretch at home (Raptors, Knicks, Grizzlies, Bobcats and Lakers on Feb. 9 in one of the must-see games of the season). The C's host the Bulls again (Feb. 12) but the end of February is one of their most difficult road trips of the season (Bulls, Pistons, Mavs, Thunder, Cavs). There are four back-to-back games in February, the worst enemy of the old Celtics.

Thanks to the Garden hosting the Hockey East semifinals and final, not to mention the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament, the Celtics head out on a brutal eight-game road trip in March (Lakers-March 11, Clippers, Warriors, Kings, Nuggets, Hawks, Bucks and Sixers). There are four back-to-back contests in March.

April Fool's Day fittingly coincides with a visit from the Heat. The only Celtics-Spurs game in the regular season takes place Apr. 4 at the Garden. Boston has some tough road games in April (Bulls on Apr. 5, Heat on Apr. 10) with a four-game roadtrip in the middle of the month. The C's close out with three of four at home (Magic, Heat, Bucks), Milwaukee plays here on Apr. 26.

There are four back-to-backs in April and the only three games in three days stretch (at Raptors, at Nets, at Bobcats) that will surely leave the Celts in wheelchairs and in serious need of oxygen tanks.

Free agency starts on Friday along with Training Camp. Let this chaotic NBA season begin!

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