Are Celtics Reading Into First-Round Matchups? Ime Udoka Weighs In

After a 134-112 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, the Boston Celtics have extended a six-game win streak. More importantly, the victory moved the team into the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

After the game, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was asked how he would manage the last two weeks and whether he would try to manipulate seeding to face a particular opponent in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

“What I said before the game was other teams do that,” Udoka said in reference to manipulating seeding. “I’ve said I’m not really worried about that. But teams manipulate where they want to play and we’re not concerned about that. Our (concern) is winning, health and playing the best basketball at the right time.

“There’s too much closeness to try to maneuver, manipulate things and pick an opponent. You can go from (No. 1 seed) to four and then five, six, seven can flip in a night so we’re not concerned with that.

“As far as resting, that’s the main thing. We got some guys who got some nicks now and you got to be smart about it, homecourt advantage is the main thing and wherever the chips fall, they kind of fall but playing the best basketball at the right time, keeping guys healthy and picking a game if we can get guys one (to rest). That’s what we’re looking at now.”

Udoka has no interest in trying to pick his opponent. It’s clear that he is trying to obtain home-court advantage without jeopardizing the health of his roster.