The 2018-19 NBA season has finally arrived, and what a way to get things started. For the first game of the season, we'll see the Philadelphia 76ers travel to Boston to take on a newly healthy Celtics squad. It's only one game, but both teams will be eager to get a win as they figure to be battling all season long for supremacy in the Eastern Conference. 

Additionally, this is a rematch of last season's second-round playoff series, in which the shorthanded Celtics beat the Sixers, 4-1. That history could lead to a little higher intensity in Tuesday's matchup. 

How to watch 76ers at Celtics

  • Date: Tuesday, Oct. 16
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • Location: TD Garden -- Boston, Massachusetts
  • TV: TNT
  • Streaming: fuboTV (Try for free) 
  • Follow: GameTracker  

Odds and analysis

Check Sportsline's NBA pick sheet for all your daily odds.

Analysis

Aside from just the history between these two teams and the elite talent between both rosters, which should make this yet another exciting contest, there are some interesting things to watch for on each side. 

For the Celtics, of course, it's seeing how their injured stars look in their first real game action. Mostly, this focuses on Gordon Hayward. Yes, Irving was out for a while, but he had some relatively minor knee surgeries, and no one is too worried about any problems reviving his greatness. Hayward, though, hasn't played a regular-season game in year, and is coming off a devastating injury that could have ended his career. It will be interesting to see how he responds, both physically and mentally, to this first real game.

As for the Sixers, they'll be looking to reintroduce Markelle Fultz. And they won't be wasting any time, as he's slated to be out there with the starters. Fultz played just 14 games last season after missing months with a mysterious shoulder ailment. But while he returned at the end of the season, he played sparingly in the playoffs, and not at all against the Celtics. Now he comes into opening night in Boston, and playing with the starters. This will be a real test to see what level Fultz has gotten back to.