Celtics
A Celtics-Nuggets NBA Finals seems like the most likely outcome, but anything is possible.
Nikola Jokic tries to escape Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum. Winslow Townson/Getty Images
The Celtics (61-16) have officially landed the best record in the NBA, meaning they will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
They are the clear favorites in the East, and they currently have the best chance of winning it all.
Although this could ultimately be the year, it certainly won’t be easy. Here’s a look at the teams they may have to beat to win their first title since 2008.
First round
The top 10 teams are set, but the order is still to be determined.
As it stands, it’s the Celtics, Bucks, Cavaliers, Magic, Knicks, Pacers, Heat, 76ers, Bulls, Hawks, but the Pacers, Heat, and 76ers are all within 1.5 games of each other.
Let’s just keep it as is: That would mean the Heat and 76ers would face off in what could be a pretty entertaining play-in game. The winner would take on the Bucks and the loser would face the winner of the Bulls-Hawks with the eighth seed on the line.
So yes, it is very possible that the Celtics will face the Heat in the first round. The Celtics are 3-0 against the Heat this season, but everyone knows what happened last year. Overtaking Miami could provide a huge long-term boost.
Boston tends to own Philadelphia and is 3-1 against the 76ers this season, but facing Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is no easy task.
It’s also possible they see a gritty Hawks team that pulled off two surprising wins against Boston not too long ago.
Eastern Conference Semifinals
If the Celtics advance, which they should barring a monumental upset, they could face the Cavaliers, Magic or Knicks. They are 2-1 against Cleveland, 2-1 against the Magic and 4-0 against the Knicks so far.
Boston shot 52.1 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from 3-point range against defensive-minded New York this year, with an additional meeting Thursday.
The Magic tend to play tough against the Celtics, and rising star Paolo Banchero is a problem, but Boston seems to have figured out Orlando’s tendencies to some extent. Cleveland stole one in early March with a wild comeback, but that won’t mean much come playoff time.
The Celtics have obvious talent and experience, but all three teams play hard and will make life difficult for each other.
Eastern Conference Finals
The Bucks are the most likely matchup, but don’t be surprised if another team like the Cavaliers, Knicks, Heat or 76ers sneaks in instead.
If it comes to Milwaukee, Boston holds a 2-1 lead in the season series, with another game on Tuesday. Jrue Holiday might get the chance to beat his former team on a big stage.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is everyone’s nightmare, but the Celtics have found creative ways to challenge others to beat them while exploiting Damian Lillard defensively. Milwaukee matches up pretty well with Boston, but the Celtics have more firepower across the roster.
The Heat don’t seem to care too much about their seed, so it’s quite possible they beat Milwaukee again and advance to the conference finals.
NBA Finals
The standings have fluctuated throughout the season, but as of Sunday afternoon, this is the case: Nuggets, Timberwolves, Thunder, Clippers, Mavericks, Suns, Pelicans, Lakers, Kings, Warriors.
The Nuggets are certainly the most likely opponent, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Timberwolves, Thunder, Clippers, Mavericks, Suns, Lakers or Warriors instead. The West is full of talent, from 1 to 10.
Denver is the only team in the league that Boston has not beaten this season. Both games were close, but the Nuggets found a way late. Time will tell if that plays a role, but in general, it’s a whole new ball game come playoff time.
For now, the Nuggets have the championship pedigree that the Celtics desperately want. It all starts with the middle man. When teams put a guy on Nikola Jokic, he scores at will. When they send a duplicate, he charges them almost every time.
This could be a fascinating chess match in six or seven epic games.
Perhaps a juicy matchup against Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks, LeBron James and the Lakers or Steph Curry and the Warriors will ensue instead, but Celtics-Nuggets seems like the most likely at this point.
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