Boston will host the winner of the Nets-Cavaliers in the first round
The Boston Celtics got ready for the postseason with a dominant win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night in each team’s regular-season finale.
Boston officially earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with the 139-110 victory. The Celtics, who own tiebreakers against both the Bucks and 76ers, will host the winner of the Brooklyn Nets-Cleveland Cavaliers Play-In Game in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Milwaukee Bucks dropped to the No. 3 seed after their loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon. And even with Joel Embiid on the bench, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Detroit Pistons in their regular-season finale, but remain the No. 4 seed with the Bucks holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Here’s a complete look at the Eastern Conference standings following Sunday’s results:
1. Miami Heat (53-29)
2. Boston Celtics (51-31)
3. Milwaukee Bucks (51-31)
4. Philadelphia 76ers (51-31)
5. Toronto Raptors (48-34)
6. Chicago Bulls (45-36)
7. Brooklyn Nets (44-38)
8. Cleveland Cavaliers (44-38)
9. Atlanta Hawks (43-39)
10. Charlotte Hornets (43-39)
The postseason will start with the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. Brooklyn and Cleveland will face off with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the East, and thus a first-round matchup with the Celtics. The loser of Nets-Cavaliers will play the winner of Hawks-Hornets for the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference. The team that emerges will face the top-seeded Miami Heat.