The Celtics’ 2024-25 schedule officially dropped Thursday, giving fans their first look at the path Boston will need to navigate to claim a second straight NBA championship.

Unsurprisingly, the slate includes a slew of nationally televised games – 10 total, tied for second-most in the league behind the Los Angeles Lakers’ 11.

Which dates should you have circled on your calendar? Here are six of the most compelling matchups, listed in chronological order:

Tuesday, Oct. 22 vs. New York Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET)

Opening night. Banner night. Championship ring night. Against a longtime Atlantic Division rival.

Beyond the pregame pageantry, this will be Boston’s first look at a reloaded Knicks team that projects to be one of its top challengers in the Eastern Conference. New York finished a distant second in the East last season before being decimated by injuries in the playoffs, then made one of the biggest trades of the offseason when it acquired defensive maven Mikal Bridges from the crosstown Brooklyn Nets.

Wednesday, Nov. 6 vs. Golden State Warriors (7:30 p.m. ET)

Yes, this is a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals, and fans never should pass up a chance to watch Stephen Curry, especially as the 36-year-old approaches the twilight of his Hall of Fame career. But the real draw in this one is the man on the Warriors’ bench: Steve Kerr.

Kerr just coached Team USA to an Olympic gold medal in Paris, but his roster management during that tournament made him public enemy No. 1 in Boston. He benched Jayson Tatum twice in six games and gave the Celtics superstar the second-fewest minutes of any U.S. player.

Tatum surely will be motivated to make a statement against Kerr’s squad, especially since his humbling Olympic experience will still be top of mind in early November. And don’t forget: Jaylen Brown was left off Team USA entirely, so this matchup will have extra juice for both of Boston’s headliners.

Wednesday, Dec. 25 vs. Philadelphia 76ers (5 p.m. ET)

Like the Knicks, the Sixers bolstered their talented roster with a big-name offseason addition, signing nine-time All-Star Paul George to join a core led by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Will it get them past the conference semifinals for the first time since 2001? Time will tell.

This Christmas Day clash will be the first of four games this season between Boston and Philly, and the late-afternoon tipoff will give fans plenty of time to open their presents and scarf down some ham. One early storyline to watch in this one: Will Kristaps Porzingis be back yet? Boston’s difference-making center underwent leg surgery days after the parade and is expected to miss at least the first month of the regular season.

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Thursday, Jan. 2 at Minnesota Timberwolves (7:30 p.m. ET)

The Celtics’ first game of 2025 kicks off arguably their toughest stretch of the season: Minnesota on Thursday, Houston on Friday, Oklahoma City on Sunday and Denver on Tuesday, all on the road.

The Timberwolves, led by the sensational Anthony Edwards, finished with the third-best record in the West last season and made a run to the conference finals. The Thunder and Nuggets earned the first and second seeds, respectively. All three boast first- or second-team All-NBA players in Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Those Western Conference front-runners will visit Boston on Nov. 24 (Minnesota), March 2 (Denver) and March 12 (OKC).

Saturday, Jan. 25 at Dallas Mavericks (5:30 p.m. ET)

The first of two 2024 NBA Finals rematches won’t come until three months into the season. The Celtics will head down to Big D on the final weekend in January, with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Co. making a return trip to Boston a week-and-a-half later (Feb. 6).

If all goes well with his rehab, Boston should have Porzingis back by this point. The former Mav dominated his old team in limited minutes in the Finals.

Saturday, March 8 vs. Los Angeles Lakers (8:30 p.m. ET)

No listing of marquee games would be complete without Celtics-Lakers, and LA’s annual trip to TD Garden will be in the Saturday primetime slot this season. LeBron James is coming off an MVP performance at the Olympics and remains an elite-level player, but at 39 years old (40 in December) it’s fair to wonder how many more times he’ll play in Boston before he calls it a career.