After a tumultuous offseason, the 2022-23 NBA season is finally here, and the Boston Celtics are opening up league play against the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston will take on their rival at home in what's sure to be an exciting start to the regular season.

Despite summer drama and the suspension of head coach Ime Udoka, Boston has its sights on the NBA Finals again with a revamped roster. While Robert Williams III and Danilo Gallinari are sidelined with injuries, the Celtics kept their key players and brought in former Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon. The move for the skilled two-way player was highly praised across the NBA, so his addition should have a significant impact this year.

For Philly, the offseason was a bit calmer. The Sixers still have a dazzling duo with Joel Embiid and James Harden, plus they added veteran P.J. Tucker and sharp-shooter De'Anthony Melton. Like Boston, it's essentially championship or bust for Philadelphia this year.

Although the Celtics have already faced plenty of obstacles this offseason, their inaugural matchup versus Philly is another great test for them. We'll see what these new and improved squads are made of soon, so here are three bold Celtics predictions for the 2022-23 NBA Opening Night.

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3. Jaylen Brown will lead the Celtics in scoring (again)

It was a complicated offseason for Celtics star Jaylen Brown. There were rumors he was being dealt to Brooklyn and then the shocking bombshell of Udoka's inappropriate behavior. In spite of all that, Brown looks ready to go for the new season.

He led the Celtics in scoring in all four of their preseason matchups, averaging a solid 22.3 points per game. Plus, he did all of that while averaging 27 minutes, making his offense as efficient as it was frequent.

Brown doesn't look like he missed a step from last season, as he was still getting to the basket with ease and connecting from deep regularly. It's hard to imagine that there was a time when he was heavily criticized for poor shooting:

If Brown can play like he played in preseason, he should be on his way to a breakout year. Boston's first matchup versus a tough Philly team will be a good litmus test for him. With defensive guys like Tucker who know how to throw a star off their game, we'll get a chance to see how Brown responds offensively.

With an improved 3-point shot and the same athleticism as ever, don't be surprised if Brown puts up big points during the season opener.

2. Sam Hauser will hit double-digit points

Another standout from preseason was Celtics forward Sam Hauser. Through four games he averaged 12 points in 23 minutes, showing spurts of hot-shooting in the process.

Hauser hasn't had much time to shine as a Celtic, but with Williams III and Gallinari down, this year will be his chance. If Hauser can continue to shoot well from beyond the arc and maintain his quick release, he could play himself into a pivotal bench role this season.

His ability to drain from deep will be critical as players like Brogdon, Brown, and Jayson Tatum drive and kick it out.

While he'll likely come off the bench, Hauser can shoot it well enough to put up double-digit points in limited minutes.

1. The Celtics will beat the Sixers despite a big game from Joel Embiid

Even with key injuries, the Celtics have enough talent and defensive prowess to beat the Sixers. However, the absence of rim-protecting center Timelord means Joel Embiid is likely going to have his way on offense.

The MVP-hopeful is simply dominant in the paint and can hit fade-away jumpers all day. Without Williams III to block shots, Boston might have to let Embiid get away with that.

Center Al Horford is likely the first line of defense for Boston, so he'll have to do his best to contain Embiid. Yet, the Celtics still have one of the best duos in the game with Tatum and Brown, which can help them overcome any deficit.

Although they lack a lot of height, Boston still has a top-tier defense. Add Brogdon into the mix and it only gets better.

Embiid might score thirty or more on the Celtics, but that doesn't mean Philly will win. Boston is well-equipped for a season-opening victory despite the injuries.

Regardless of the outcome, a Celtics-Sixers game to start the 2022-23 NBA season is sure to entertain.