Sudden Celtics Schedule Change Adds Two Guaranteed Wins

The Boston Celtics were unfortunately eliminated from the NBA Cup on point differential after Tuesday night's results. As disappointing as this was, there is a massive silver lining to the early exit.

Instead of playing high-stakes matchups in the NBA Cup, the Celtics will play two extremely winnable games instead.

The NBA announced the additional regular-season games each team eliminated from the tournament will play. The Celtics will host the Pistons on Thursday, December 12, and travel to Washington to face the Wizards on Sunday, December 15. That is as lucky of a schedule update as any team in the league can have.

NBA News: Celtics Schedule Change Boosts Back-to-Back Title Hopes

The Wizards are once again at the bottom of the Eastern Conference after losing 15 straight games. The Pistons are much improved from last season but are still 9-14. Plus, the Celtics have won their last nine games against them.

The Celtics, sitting in second place with a 17-4 record, are chasing the back-to-back title. Clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs will go a long way. They are currently 1.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers who are off to a scorching start this season.

The games against Detroit and Washington should not only be considered guaranteed wins, but they also allow the Celtics to rest and load manage their stars. Instead of playing Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis extended minutes to chase the NBA Cup title, the Celtics can take it easy and keep their key players fresh for the second half of the season and the playoffs.

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