Boston plays five games between October 27 and November 4, three at TD Garden and two on the road on November 1 and 2. The schedule starts soft and ends hard, and Houston, unbeaten so far, is the measuring stick.
Brooklyn brings tempo and not much else.
The Nets come in 0-3 on a three-game skid, with a 106.4 offensive rating and a 118.2 defensive rating for a net of -11.8. Their pace of 104.5 is well above Boston's 99.8, so expect more possessions than the Celtics usually like. Julius Randle, at 22.0 points and 6.3 assists, and Michael Porter Jr., at 21.3 points, carry the scoring. Tyler Bilodeau is out with a right shoulder injury. Tonight is Brooklyn's first road game, after three games in seven days. Boston is coming off Monday's 134-99 rout of Chicago, so this is the second night in a row for the Celtics.
The Bulls rematch is a Cup game, not a formality.
Chicago returns October 30 in an Emirates NBA Cup game, four nights after losing by 35. Boston led that game by as many as 40, with Payton Pritchard scoring 28 on 7-of-10 shooting from deep. The bench outscored the starters 67-55. That margin will not repeat on its own. Norman Powell had 20 points and four steals in the loss, and a team that wins 25 percent of its games has had time to watch the film.
Houston on the second road night is the game that counts.
Boston plays at Orlando on November 1 and at Houston on November 2. The Magic are 1-2 and currently hold tenth, so that game also tests where the floor of the standings sits. The Rockets have won every game they have played. Seeing them on the back half of a road pair is the hardest assignment on the calendar. Milwaukee comes to Boston on November 4 to close the stretch.
The health picture is one question mark and one absence.
Derrick White is day-to-day with a right hip issue, with a return targeted for tonight. He has averaged 11.3 points and 6.0 assists in 29.1 minutes. Devin Carter is out with an illness and is not expected back before November 8, so he misses the whole week. Boston sits fifth at 2-1, a game and a half clear of eleventh. Three games project to 55-27 over a full season, which proves only that three games have been played.
Who do the Celtics play this week?
Boston hosts Brooklyn on October 27 and Chicago on October 30, plays at Orlando on November 1 and at Houston on November 2, then hosts Milwaukee on November 4.
Is Derrick White playing against the Nets?
White is listed day-to-day with a right hip injury, and his return is targeted for October 27, the night of the Nets game. Devin Carter is out with an illness until at least November 8.
