On October 4th, the Boston Celtics will play their first game since winning the NBA Championship. They will face the Denver Nuggets in the first game of the NBA preseason in Abu Dhabi. It is the first taste of NBA action since June, and while it is not the regular season, it is still exciting to see the end of the basketball drought in sight. The Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets will tip off at noon EST, officially kicking off the 2024 NBA preseason.
What To Expect from the Boston Celtics
Because it is a preseason game, neither team is expected to be going full tilt with their rotations. On the Boston Celtics side, Joe Mazzulla has not given much insight into his plans for this game. But one can expect the Celtics to experiment. There are 21 players on their training camp roster, so preseason will be the time for the Celtics to tool around with the rotations and lineups to determine which players fit. The Celtics have many rookies, E10 contracts, two-way contracts, and players who are hungry for more minutes. For these players, preseason games will be a chance to prove themselves and earn a roster spot.
One of these players is the Celtics offseason signing, Lonnie Walker IV. Walker was signed to an E10 contract, meaning he could be sent down to the G-League after training camp. Walker is an effective three-point shooter and microwave scorer who has been around the block, playing for the Spurs, Lakers, and Nets. While the Celtics have depth at the guard position, Walker can still prove himself by contributing in the preseason when he sees the floor in Celtic green.
But Lonnie Walker IV is not the only Celtic with something to prove. Boston Celtics rookies Baylor Scheierman, Anton Watson, and Tristan Enaruna will get a taste of NBA action, and will aim to either make the roster, or in Scheierman’s case, make a push to get playing time right away in the regular season. There are also players like Jordan Walsh and Drew Peterson, who spent last season in the G-League. They will both try to earn a spot on the 15-man NBA roster this season. So, while the NBA preseason may not be as competitive as the regular season, there is competition among the players fighting for minutes and roster spots.
The Starters
Even if preseason rotations are not set in stone, the fans in Abu Dhabi will still get to see the stars of both teams. The Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will see the floor, along with Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford. While they will not get full minutes, there will still be time to see the championship lineup on the floor after a long offseason. And for the Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and new addition Russell Westbrook will take the floor. At full strength, these are two of the best teams in the NBA.
So, even if it is only for a few minutes, the times where the stars get to match up in this preseason game will be fun to watch. The 2023 NBA Champion Denver Nuggets and the 2024 NBA Champion Boston Celtics will give the NBA fans in Abu Dhabi a great show.
Final Thoughts
For the first time since the playoffs came to an end, NBA basketball will be played. It will be the Boston Celtics first game since they won the NBA Championship in June. The NBA’s push to grow globally will have Abu Dhabi hosting the kickoff of the 2024 preseason. While it does not count towards records, the preseason games do count towards players and roster spots. But regardless of who plays and who does not, the bottom line is that NBA basketball is back on October 4th, and that is cause for excitement.
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