Down to the wire: with #1 seed locked up, Celtics eye familiar first round opponents

The Celtics won’t be in the Play-In Tournament. With a 61-16 record, they’ve clinched the overall #1 seed with home court advantage guaranteed for a potential Finals run and quest to raise Banner 18.

But that’s burying the lede. With Boston prioritizing rest, recovery, and health with the added benefit of a home-heavy schedule next week, all eyes will be on their possible first round opponent coming down the stretch of the 2023-2024 regular season.

With a handful of games remaining, here’s how the standings stand with their remaining schedule and the relevant tiebreakers courtesy of CBS Sports:

#6 44-34 Indiana Pacers: Heat, at Raptors, at Cavaliers, Hawks
tiebreaker with Heat: tied 1-1 heading into tonight’s game
tiebreaker with 76ers: Pacers

#7 43-34 Miami Heat: at Pacers, at Hawks, Mavericks, Raptors, Raptors
tiebreaker with Pacers: tied 1-1 heading into tonight’s game
tiebreaker with 76ers: Heat (current conference record)

#8 43-35 Philadelphia 76ers: at Spurs, Pistons, Magic, Nets
tiebreaker with Pacers: Pacers
tiebreaker with Heat: Heat (current conference record)

That’s right. The Celtics could be facing the Heat or 76ers in Round 1. For Celtics fans, it’s a wait for the inevitable. After a historic season, they won’t get a plucky, young 8th seed to start their postseason loaded with championship expectations. Instead, they’ll face a battle-tested rival that they’ve faced plenty of times in the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown era.

But before Boston’s staff can start scouting and planning, Miami and Philadelphia have a week’s worth of games until a possible matchup on April 16th in the 7 vs. 8 opener of the Play-In Tournament. If Indiana can hold court, it’s just a matter of whether that tet-a-tet Jimmy Butler vs. Joel Embiid game will be played down in South Beach or the City of Brotherly Love. As of today, the winner will face the Bucks and the loser faces the survivor of Hawks-Bulls with an opportunity to be the first round opponent of the Celtics in the opening round.

The jockeying of playoff position starts later this afternoon when the Pacers host the Heat in Indianapolis at 5 pm. A win for the Pacers would not only clinch the tiebreaker, but give Indiana virtually a two-game lead to Indiana with just three games remaining on their schedule.

For Philly, they seem fated for that eighth seed. Three out of their four remaining games are against sub-.500 teams that aren’t playing for anything, but they’ll need…