With the end of the NBA regular season fast approaching, the Boston Celtics are looking to claim one of the top six seeds in the Eastern Conference and avoid the league's new Play-In Tournament.
It won't be an easy task as 1.5 games separate the No. 4 and No. 7 seeds in the East a month before the 2021 NBA Playoffs are set to begin.
The Celtics' place in the standings is something fans will have to keep a close eye on down the final stretch, with possible scenarios and odds changing almost daily.
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For the cynics who think the C's can't finish in the top six and want to start preparing for the Play-In Tournament, here's everything you need to know:
What is the Play-In Tournament?
The NBA Play-In Tournament is a new format the league introduced to determine the eight playoff teams from each conference.
The league had already tested a version of the play-in format last summer when teams like the Celtics took part in the 2020 NBA restart in Orlando.
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At the time, the Portland Trail Blazers played the Memphis Grizzlies to earn a berth in the Western Conference playoffs. There was no play-in game for the Eastern Conference playoffs.
When would the Celtics play in the Play-In Tournament?
The Play-In Tournament will begin May 18, two days after the Celtics' final regular season game against the New York Knicks on May 16.
The last game of the tournament will be May 21, with the first round of the NBA playoffs tipping off May 22.
How does the Play-In Tournament's structure impact the Celtics?
The Play-In Tournament will have six games involving eight teams, split up between the two conferences.
The Celtics need to finish Nos. 1-6 in the Eastern Conference standings to qualify for the playoffs. If they finish Nos. 7-10, the Celtics will take part in the Play-In Tournament.
The NBA will use winning percentage to determine the standings.
Game 1: The highest-winning percentage team at No. 7 in each conference will host the highest-winning percentage team at No. 8 to compete for the seventh seed in the playoffs. The losing team will have a second chance to make the playoffs in Game 3.
Game 2: The team with the highest winning percentage at No. 9 in each conference will host the team with the highest winning percentage at No. 10. The winner will play for a playoff berth in Game 3, while the losing team will enter the NBA draft lottery.
Game 3: The losing team of No. 7 vs. No. 8 (Game 1) will play the winning team of No. 9 vs. No. 10 (Game 2) for the eighth seed in the playoffs. The losing team will enter the NBA draft lottery.
Could Boston host a Play-In Tournament game?
With the COVID-19 vaccines continuing to roll out, the NBA has no plans to bring back the bubble. The Play-In Tournament will be held at home arenas, with the highest-winning percentage teams hosting each game.
So, yes, there's a possibility TD Garden will be hosting a single-elimination playoff game this spring.
Are the Celtics projected to be in the Play-In Tournament?
If the season ended today, April 23, these would be the teams to compete in the 2021 NBA Play-In Tournament:
Eastern Conference
No. 8 Charlotte Hornets at No. 7 Miami Heat
No. 10 Washington Wizards at No. 9 Indiana Pacers
Western Conference
No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies at No. 7 Dallas Mavericks
No. 10 Golden State Warriors at No. 9 San Antonio Spurs