Boston Celtics
Jaylen Brown won’t return to Boston until Jan. 21, 2027.
Jaylen Brown will return to Boston on Jan. 21. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
August 13, 2026 | 7:21 PM
3 minutes to read
The stage is finally set for the 2026-27 Celtics season.
The NBA released its schedule for the new season on Thursday, with the Celtics set to open a new slate of games on Tuesday, Oct. 20 with an unusual 3 p.m. matinee matchup against the Pistons.
Boston will host the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks in its home opener at TD Garden on Friday, Oct. 23. In total, a revamped Celtics roster — led by Jayson Tatum — will appear in 27 nationally televised games this year, including a home matchup on Christmas Day against the Miami Heat.
Of course, the most anticipated game on the docket will be Jaylen Brown’s expected return to Boston after the Celtics traded him to the 76ers in July.
Celtics fans will need to wait a few months for that return, however, as Brown, LeBron James, and the rest of a stacked Sixers squad won’t play on the parquet floor until Thursday, Jan. 21.
Other highlights include home matchups against two titans in the Western Conference in the Thunder (Feb. 17) and Spurs (March 16), while Brockton native (and 2026 No. 1 pick) AJ Dybantsa will play his first games in Boston on Dec. 14 and 16.
Here’s a look at the Celtics’ full schedule. All games are Eastern Standard Time. Any games marked with asterisks are NBA Cup games.
————
Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Detroit (3 p.m.; NBC)
Friday, Oct. 23 vs. New York (7 p.m.; Prime)
Monday, Oct. 26 vs. Chicago (7:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Oct. 27 vs. Brooklyn (7:30 p.m.)
*Friday, Oct. 30 vs. Chicago (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 1 at Orlando (3:30 p.m.)
Monday, Nov. 2 at Houston (7:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, Nov. 4 vs. Milwaukee (7:30 p.m.)
*Friday, Nov. 6 at Charlotte (7 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 8 at Milwaukee (8 p.m.)
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at Philadelphia (8 p.m.; NBC)
Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Toronto (7 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 15 vs. Dallas (6 p.m.)
Monday, Nov. 16 vs. Orlando (7 p.m.; Peacock)
Wednesday, Nov. 18 at Denver (9 p.m.)
Saturday, Nov. 21 at Sacramento (10 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 22 at Golden State (8:30 p.m.)
*Tuesday, Nov. 24 at Washington (8 p.m.; NBC)
*Friday, Nov. 27 vs. Atlanta (8 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 29 at San Antonio (4 p.m.)
Monday, Nov. 30 at Dallas (8 p.m.)
Wednesday, Dec. 2 vs Charlotte (7:30 p.m.)
Dec. 4 to Dec. 11: NBA Cup knockout rounds or consolation games
Sunday, Dec. 13 at Brooklyn (3:00 p.m.)
Monday, Dec. 14 vs. Washington (7:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, Dec. 16 vs. Washington (7 p.m.; ESPN)
Friday, Dec. 18 vs. Utah (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 20 vs. Detroit (8 p.m.)
Wednesday, Dec. 23 vs. Portland (7:30 p.m.)
Friday, Dec. 25 vs. Miami (2:30 p.m.; ABC)
Monday, Dec. 28 vs. Cleveland (8 p.m.; NBC)
Wednesday, Dec. 30 at Chicago (8 p.m.)
Friday, Jan. 1 at Utah (9:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 2 at Portland (10 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 4 at Phoenix (9 p.m.)
Thursday, Jan. 7 at LA Lakers (10 p.m.; Prime)
Saturday, Jan 9 at LA Clippers (10:30 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 11 vs. Houston (7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 13 vs. New York (7 p.m.; ESPN)
Saturday, Jan. 16 vs. Brooklyn (7 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 18 at Washington (3 p.m.)
Wednesday, Jan. 20 vs. Indiana (7:30 p.m.)
Thursday, Jan. 21 vs. Philadelphia (7:30 p.m.; Prime)
Saturday, Jan. 23 at Charlotte (7 p.m.)
Monday, Jan. 25 vs. Toronto (7 p.m.; Peacock)
Wednesday, Jan. 27 vs. LA Clippers (7:30 p.m.)
Friday, Jan. 29 vs. Phoenix (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Jan. 31 at Toronto (6 p.m.)
Tuesday, Feb. 2 vs. LA Lakers (8 p.m.; NBC)
Thursday, Feb 4 at Charlotte (7:30 p.m.; Prime)
Friday, Feb. 5 at Atlanta (7 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 7 at Philadelphia (7 p.m.; NBC)
Tuesday, Feb. 9 vs. Denver (7:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, Feb. 10 vs. Golden State (7:30 p.m.; ESPN)
Friday, Feb. 12 vs. Minnesota (8 p.m.; Prime)
Sunday, Feb 14 vs. Toronto (1 p.m.)
Wednesday, Feb. 17 at Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m.; ESPN)
Thursday, Feb. 18 at Memphis (8 p.m.)
Friday, Feb. 26 vs. Cleveland (7:30 p.m.; ESPN)
Sunday, Feb. 28 at Minnesota (7 p.m.; NBC)
Tuesday, March 2 at Indiana (7 p.m.)
Friday, March 5 at Detroit (7 p.m.; ESPN)
Sunday, March 7 vs. Philadelphia (7 p.m.; ABC)
Tuesday, March 9 at Chicago (8 p.m.)
Thursday, March 11 vs. Memphis (7:30 p.m.)
Friday, March 12 vs. Oklahoma City (7:30 p.m.; Prime)
Sunday, March 14 at New York (noon; ABC)
Tuesday, March 16 vs. Sacramento (7:30 p.m.)
Thursday, March 18 vs. Orlando (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, March 21 vs. New Orleans (3 p.m.)
Tuesday, March 23 at Brooklyn (7:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, March 24 vs. San Antonio (7:30 p.m.; ESPN)
Saturday, March 27 at Miami (8 p.m.)
Sunday, March 28 at New Orleans (7 p.m.)
Tuesday, March 30 at Indiana (8 p.m.)
Thursday, April 1 at Cleveland (7 p.m.; Prime)
Friday, April 2 vs. Miami (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, April 4 at New York (7:30 p.m.; NBC)
Wednesday, April 7 at Orlando (7 p.m.)
Friday, April 9 at Atlanta (7 p.m.)
Sunday, April 11 vs. Milwaukee (8 p.m.)
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
