Celtics fans may have to wait a while to see Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett back in TD Garden, as the NBA schedule-makers are making the two future Hall of Famers wait until after the New Year to come back home.
The Brooklyn Nets will visit the Celtics on Sunday, Jan. 26, the NBA announced Tuesday, marking the first return to Boston for Pierce, Garnett and Jason Terry since they were traded in July. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off.
The Celtics and Nets will meet again in Boston on March 7 before concluding their regular season series March 21 in Brooklyn.
The Celtics open the season Wednesday, Oct. 30 in Toronto. For the first time in five years, the Celtics will not play on Christmas Day. The last time that was the case was the first year of the Pierce-Garnett-Ray Allen era in 2007, although they played the day after Christmas in Sacramento to begin a four-game West Coast road swing.
Pierce, Garnett and Terry’s first game against their old team will come Dec. 10, when the Celtics travel to Brooklyn.
Check out the Celtics’ full schedule below.
OCTOBER
Wed, Oct 30Â @Toronto
NOVEMBER
Fri, Nov 1 vs Milwaukee
Sun, Nov 3Â @Â Detroit
Mon, Nov 4Â @Â Memphis
Wed, Nov 6 vs Utah
Fri, Nov 8Â @Â Orlando
Sat, Nov 9 @Â Miami
Mon, Nov 11 vs Orlando
Wed, Nov 13 vs Charlotte
Fri, Nov 15 vs Portland
Sat, Nov 16 @Â Minnesota
Tue, Nov 19 @Â Houston
Wed, Nov 20 @Â San Antonio
Fri, Nov 22 vs Indiana
Sat, Nov 23 @Â Atlanta
Mon, Nov 25 @Â Charlotte
Wed, Nov 27 vs Memphis
Fri, Nov 29 vs Cleveland
Sat, Nov 30 @Â Milwaukee
DECEMBER
Tue, Dec 3 vs Milwaukee
Fri, Dec 6 vs Denver
Sun, Dec 8 @Â Knicks
Tue, Dec 10 @Â Brooklyn
Wed, Dec 11 vs Los Angeles
Fri, Dec 13 vs Knicks
Mon, Dec 16  vs Minnesota
Wed, Dec 18 vs Detroit
Sat, Dec 21 vs Washington
Sun, Dec 22 @Â Indiana
Sat, Dec 28 vs Cleveland
Tue, Dec 31 vs Atlanta
JANUARY
Thu, Jan 2 @Â Chicago
Fri, Jan 3 vs New Orleans
Sun, Jan 5 @Â Oklahoma City
Tue, Jan 7 @Â Denver
Wed, Jan 8 @Â Los Angeles
Fri, Jan 10 @Â Golden State
Sat, Jan 11 @Â Portland
Mon, Jan 13 vs Houston
Wed, Jan 15 vs Toronto
Fri, Jan 17 vs Los Angeles
Sun, Jan 19 @Â Orlando
Tue, Jan 21 @Â Miami
Wed, Jan 22 @Â Washington
Fri, Jan 24 vs Oklahoma City
Sun, Jan 26 vs Brooklyn
Tue, Jan 28 @Â Knicks
Wed, Jan 29 vs Philadelphia
FEBRUARY
Sun, Feb 2 vs Orlando
Wed, Feb 5 @Â Philadelphia
Fri, Feb 7 vs Sacramento
Sun, Feb 9 vs Dallas
Mon, Feb 10 @Â Milwaukee
Wed, Feb 12 vs San Antonio
Wed, Feb 19 @Â Phoenix
Fri, Feb 21 @Â Los Angeles
Sat, Feb 22 @Â Sacramento
Mon, Feb 24 @Â Utah
Wed, Feb 26 vs Atlanta
MARCH
Sat, Mar 1 vs Indiana
Wed, Mar 5 vs Golden State
Fri, Mar 7 vs Brooklyn
Sun, Mar 9 vs Detroit
Tue, Mar 11 @Â Indiana
Wed, Mar 12 vs Knicks
Fri, Mar 14 vs Phoenix
Sun, Mar 16 @Â New Orleans
Mon, Mar 17 @Â Dallas
Wed, Mar 19 vs Miami
Fri, Mar 21 @Â Brooklyn
Wed, Mar 26 vs Toronto
Fri, Mar 28 @Â Toronto
Sun, Mar 30 vs Chicago
Mon, Mar 31 @Â Chicago
APRIL
Wed, Apr 2 @Â Washington
Fri, Apr 4 vs Philadelphia
Sat, Apr 5 @Â Detroit
Wed, Apr 9 @Â Atlanta
Fri, Apr 11 vs Charlotte
Sat, Apr 12 @Â Cleveland
Mon, Apr 14 @Â Philadelphia
Wed, Apr 16 vs Washington
