The Boston Celtics are within touching distance of clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, with their magic number shrinking to just one. A victory in their next game or a loss by the Milwaukee Bucks would secure the Celtics home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. After their convincing win over the Chicago Bulls, the Celtics improved their season record to an impressive 57-14, giving them a commanding 11.5-game lead over the second-place Bucks, who sit at 45-25 with only 11 games left in the Celtics’ regular season.
Although the Celtics currently hold a 2-1 advantage in the tiebreaker over the Bucks, their upcoming matchup on April 9 could potentially level the playing field. This uncertainty is why the Celtics have yet to officially clinch the top seed in the East. However, with a showdown against the Atlanta Hawks scheduled for Monday and the Bucks facing off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, the Celtics could secure the top spot sooner than later.
Looking ahead, the Celtics also have their sights set on securing the best record in the entire league, which would grant them home-court advantage throughout the NBA Finals. With the Thunder leading the Western Conference at 49-20, the Celtics’ magic number to claim the top seed in the NBA stands at six. Both teams will aim to maintain their position at the top of their respective conferences as the regular season winds down.
Throughout the regular season, the Celtics have shown professionalism and consistency, leaving no room for doubt as they have dominated their competition. While the playoffs will be the true test of their abilities, the Celtics have earned the right to rest their starters and fine-tune their game for the postseason. As they look to secure both the top seed in the East and the best record in the league, the Celtics are gearing up to make a strong push for playoff success.
