Predicting the Celtics' First 5 Games of the 2023-24 Season

Game 2: Celtics 123, Heat 109

See, we told you things would get better.

Should Boston lose on Opening Night, it won't stay down for long, and what better way to get back on track than with a 14-point victory against the team that prevented you from making back-to-back Finals appearances?

Miami's depth was really what did the Celtics in during the Eastern Conference finals, and now two of those role players -- Gabe Vincent and Max Strus -- are elsewhere.

Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro will likely combine for around 40 points and Bam Adebayo might flirt with a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double, but don't be surprised if Boston leads this game by 20 before the Heat make the final score respectable in garbage time.

Game 3: Celtics 119, Wizards 101

All eyes will be on Porzingis in this one, and for good reason.

Porzingis spent the past two seasons with Washington, so it would only be right if his first breakout game as a Celtic came against his former team.

The Wizards are in a state of purgatory, as they haven't fully committed to a rebuild but should really consider doing so. Getting rid of Porzingis and star guard Bradley Beal were the first steps in that process, but this team still has some assets in Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole.

Outside of Kuzma and Poole, Washington doesn't have nearly enough firepower to keep up with Boston.

The Celtics will also get a look at old friend Mike Muscala and old-friend-turned-foe Danilo Gallinari, who apparently has meetings with Boston circled on his calendar. Because as we all know, it was Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens himself who went and tore Gallinari's ACL in a qualifying game for the FIBA World Cup, preventing him from ever suiting up for Boston.