Celtics playoff picture: Play-in outlook with No. 7 seed locked in

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The Boston Celtics are heading to the postseason as the team is locked in as the No. 7 seed. 

The Celtics (36-36), as the seventh seed, will take part in the Play-In Tournament, which begins May 18, followed by the first round on May 22.

Boston ended the regular season with a loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday, 96-92. Brad Stevens' team will play the No. 8 Washington Wizards on Tuesday night at 9 p.m.

Here's what you need to know about the Play-In Tournament with the Eastern Conference matchups set.

What is the format for the 2021 NBA Playoffs?

This year's playoffs feature a new wrinkle: the NBA Play-In Tournament. Here's how it works: The No. 7 through No. 10 seeds in the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, qualify for the Play-In Tournament.

The tournament begins May 18 and consists of two rounds for each conference with the following format: 

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Round 1

No. 7 seed vs. No. 8 seed (winner earns No. 7 seed; loser to Round 2)

No. 9 seed vs. No. 10 seed (winner to Round 2; loser eliminated)

Round 2

Loser of 7-8 vs. Winner of 9-10 (winner earns No. 8 seed; loser eliminated)

Once the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds are decided for each conference, the first round will begin May 22 with the traditional format: seven-game series featuring the 1-8, 2-7, 3-6 and 4-5 matchups.

Where are the Celtics in the Eastern Conference standings?

The Celtics are the No. 7 seed in the East. Washington secured the No. 8 seed by defeating the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, and owning the tiebreaker over the Indiana Pacers. 

Here are the Eastern Conference's play-in teams:

TeamGB From No. 1
7. Boston Celtics12.5
8. Washington Wizards14.5
9. Indiana Pacers14.5
10. Charlotte Hornets15.5

 

Who will the Celtics play in the Play-In Tournament?

The Celtics are set to play the Wizards.

Here are the East play-in matchups:

AwayHomeGame time
No. 10 Charlotte HornetsNo. 9 Indiana PacersTuesday, May 18, 6:30 p.m.
No. 8 Washington WizardsNo. 7 Boston CelticsTuesday, May 18, 9 p.m.

 

What are the Celtics' playoff odds?

The Celtics currently have +20000 odds to win the 2021 NBA championship -- odds provided by our partner, PointsBet Sportsbook.

In the Eastern Conference, six teams have better title odds than the Celtics: The Brooklyn Nets (+250), Milwaukee Bucks (+700), Philadelphia 76ers (+800), Miami Heat (+4000), Atlanta Hawks (+10000) and New York Knicks (+15000).

PointsBet is NBC Sports' official sports betting partner. We may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.

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