Celtics to host Bucks at TD Garden on Christmas Day in 2022, rematch of Eastern Conference semifinals (report)

The Celtics are set to take on the Bucks on Christmas for the second straight season, though this time they’ll get to do so at their home venue of TD Garden. The official NBA schedule hasn’t been released yet, but the five Christmas Day slates are reportedly set, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Boston will take on Milwaukee in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals, which the Celtics won in in seven games on their way to the NBA Finals. The other four Christmas Day games are: 76ers at Knicks, Suns at Nuggets, Lakers at Mavericks and Grizzlies at Warriors. The five-game holiday slate is one of the league’s important dates as they showcase some of the best teams and storylines.

The Celtics took on the Bucks in Milwaukee on Christmas last season as they lost 117-113 in a close defeat. But the C’s were significantly shorthanded that game because of COVID-19 protocols and lost in the final few minutes of the game. Of course, the game also happened before the Celtics’ impressive midseason turnaround, but it was a test against the then-defending champion Bucks at the time.

The Celtics taking on the Bucks should be a matchup between two of the best teams in the conference — and it could be a potential preview of the East finals. While the C’s got the better of the Bucks last season, injuries hampered both sides, notably Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton sat out the entire series. But it was still a grueling seven-game set, and both teams should be competitive in the near future with their stars in hand.

The full NBA schedule hasn’t been released yet ahead of the 2022-23 season. The Celtics will have plenty of hype after their Finals run and are considered to be title favorites after they shored up their depth. The C’s do have their four-game preseason slate, which consists of two games each against the Hornets and Raptors.

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