NBA schedule: Celtics take on Sixers twice

The Boston Celtics have a back-to-back home-and-home against the Philadelphia 76ers as the two teams try to gain an advantage in the Atlantic Division standings.

This is the fourth time this season the Sixers have been on a two-game losing streak. However, they've never gotten to three games. In fact, they've bounced back from every one of those losing spells with a winning streak of three games, so if that pattern holds, the Celtics can expect to lose both matchups this series.

Jrue Holiday has been worth the money Philadelphia agreed to pay him earlier in the year, as he's led a team playing without its star to a record over .500, averaging near a double-double with 18.2 points and 9.3 assists. He'll provide a really interesting matchup for Rajon Rondo. Things can get a little ugly for the 76ers when shots aren't falling, and they have a knack for giving up big games to opposing big men as they throw Lavoy Allen, Spencer Hawes, and sometimes Kwame Brown at opposing bigs, but for the most part they've been successful.

Both squads are tied at 10-8, with the Sixers having taken the first meeting between the two teams.

Here's a look at the Celtics' upcoming schedule as well as the games on national TV this weekend.

Friday, Dec. 7

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m., ESPN

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 9:30 p.m., ESPN

Saturday, Dec. 8

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m., CSN-New England

Sunday, Dec. 9

Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m., NBATV