Boston locked up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and the Celtics playoff schedule is now down to one of two dates: Saturday, April 18, or Sunday, April 19. The NBA has not posted the Celtics’ exact Game 1 date or tip time yet, but TD Garden is set to open for playoff basketball on the first weekend of the postseason.
The league’s play-in tournament starts on April 14 and runs through April 17, and the first round of the NBA playoffs opens on Saturday, April 18. Boston will face the eventual No. 7 seed, which will come from Tuesday’s 7-vs.-8 play-in game between the 76ers and Magic. The winner takes the No. 7 spot and moves on to a first-round series against the Celtics.
Philadelphia grabbed the No. 7 spot after Sunday’s games, while Orlando slid to No. 8. Charlotte finished No. 9 and Miami landed at No. 10, setting up the East play-in bracket that will decide Boston’s opponent. The NBA says the first-round schedule will be announced after the regular season ends, which is why the Celtics still do not have a final opener on the calendar.
Read Also: Derrick White can reach rare 100-block, 200-three season at Madison Square Garden
That leaves Boston waiting on one last detail while the larger picture is already clear. The Celtics know where they start, who they will face in the next round of the East bracket, and that their playoff run will begin at home. What they do not know yet is whether the first game comes Saturday night or on Sunday at TD Garden.
