Boston Celtics playoff picture: Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks possibilities

Boston Celtics playoff picture: Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks possibilities

What do the playoff scenarios look like for the Boston Celtics the last thing we’re waiting to figure out so let’s figure it out right now on the lock down Celtics podcast thanks to Blockbuster Brad holiday seon Dr Drew in the mix and fre from KP no we not on the next fling

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Scenarios take a look at what we could be looking forward to still 10 games left to play still a lot to figure out but let’s get a closer look at everything top to bottom that the Celtics might face and what we should be looking for over the next few weeks

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The way the standings look and if you go to uh playoffstatus.com it’s a great little resource it gives you the odds of all the the spots what you see is kind of what you should expect Boston Milwaukee Cleveland New York Orlando Indiana 6 so that’s your top six

That’s your playoff at this point and according to the odds this these could change very easily could change but percentage wise this is what it looks like according to playoffstatus.com Boston Milwaukee one2 Cleveland New York Orlando Indiana four through six the playing tournament right now looks like Miami Philadelphia and then Chicago

Atlanta so that’s where we’re going to focus our attention right now because the Miami Philadelphia Chicago Atlanta those two matchups are pretty set Miami could potentially climb out of the playin uh it’s Philly theoretically could too so here’s the scenario Indiana is 16 and a half games out of first uh a

Game and a half behind them is Miami Miami lost to the Golden State Warriors the other night and at this point uh they are tied with Philadelphia seventh and eighth so however that shakes out is one of those they they might play each other Indie could drop Miami could jump there is

That possibility but right now that’s how it looks Miami Philly tied uh then there’s uh how many games is between them uh there’s five games between them and Chicago so Chicago Atlanta and those that’s a lock Chicago Atlanta are your 910 somehow they could swaps spots for

Sure but then Brooklyn is basically done they’re they’re out of it essentially Brooklyn and Toronto not technically eliminated yet but they need Miracles so the bottom part of the plan is set the Celtics are going to play one of those four slash five teams but let’s just go

With let’s just say that Indiana holds on and and is in that top solidified playoff spot we’re looking at Miami Philly and then Chicago Atlanta which means we could we could theoretically get Miami and Chicago again like last year where Miami was down and had a miracle comeback to well I shouldn’t say

Miracle comeback but uh an amazing comeback to uh win that game and then go on their Miracle run that was a miracle run for for Miami I know lock on heat and I know the folks down in Miami they’re like no no no no that’s that’s exactly that that was

Miami everything was great and and they made that run because they’re great they made that run because a bunch of guys made you played out of their minds and look at where they are now look at where they are again this is not a team that I

Expect to to catch fire like that again but who knows I don’t know Eric spoler has this like magic power so may maybe they will maybe they will catch fire again but let’s not pretend like last year’s uh Miami run wasn’t just a complete outlier uh scenario of a bunch

Of things going extraordinarily right for them so so we could be looking at that again we could be looking at a first round of Miami and Milwaukee again and Boston and Atlanta again so if you’re not familiar with the playin if you don’t remember how it works seven

Eight plays each other the winner go gets the seventh seed the eighth that the loser of that game sits there and waits for the 910 game to play out the loser of the 910 game is out the winner of the 9 10 game plays the loser of the

78 game so let’s just say Miami wins they get the seventh seed they play Milwaukee then Philly would play the winner of Atlanta and Chicago so if Atlanta wins that Chicago would be eliminated and then it’s Philly Atlanta and if Atlanta beats Philly then it’s Boston and Philly because that team

Becomes the eighth seed so it would be two rematches of the first round and uh just the only difference is that Milwaukee and Boston would be flipped so you’re you’re looking at a real possibility of facing Atlanta again again the winner of Miami Philadelphia is gonna get the seventh seed

So one of those two teams and this really depends on Joel embiid coming back now the Sixers did say on Wednesday night that they expect Joel embid to make it back by the end of the regular season slash playay in so he might be back in time to have an

Impact the big question there is how will he be how will he play one of the biggest questions hanging over these entire playoffs is how will Joel embiid look when he comes back what kind of gas does he have in the tank what kind of

Strength does he have in that leg can he get back to playing that style that mvp level that he was playing at before he got hurt because he was a serious threat for a repeat MVP and the Sixers with Tyrese Maxi and at that point Tobias

Harris was kind of the sto with Tobias Harris was he’s finding a little bit of a role there there it’s it’s working for Tobias Harris as the third guy and ever since the injury and maybe a little bit before that Harris has kind of played some of

His worst basketball so who knows how it’s G to go the Sixers could win that game with embiid back and set themselves up for Milwaukee Philadelphia with embiid healthy and what a first round playoff matchup that would be Milwaukee Philadelphia would be an epic playoff play off series potentially when you

Think about embiid if he’s embiid against Milwaukee having to defend ynis and Dame and and and all of that and Brook Lopez they they would actually be able to use Brook Lopez and and use him the proper way defensively versus if whenever if Milwaukee plays Boston Brook

Lopez becomes you know I I question how playable he becomes so the injuries are the big thing to watch for so when we’re looking at which team is going to come out of the playin tournament if embid it is healthy he could power a he could easily

Power a single win and then who knows what happens after that maybe he maybe he gets sore and there are plenty of people in Philadelphia saying don’t even bother don’t play embiid we don’t want to see it next year for Philly is going to be the year they’ve got potentially

Two Max cap slots you’ve got embiid you’ve got Maxi you could bring in two highlevel players via free agency or via trade you have a lot of options next year is the year don’t waste and be on this half coocked playoff run now when he’s gonna be rusty and tired so

There is that attitude in Philadelphia but if embiid is healthy and back and wants the play who knows who knows how it goes then you get into that that that 27 game that series becomes super interesting let’s continue this conversation the the look at these playing and potentially the first round

Uh opponent for Boston and then what could be their biggest challenge in that four five slot Today’s Show is brought to you by Nissan Nissan has a wide array of su UVS that can help you push things a little bit further and if you’ve ever wondered what Adventure could be around

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YouTube and for free on that Amazon Fire TV channels app part of the lockdown podcast Network it’s your team every day you knew that already all right let’s get into uh let’s continue this conversation about the playoff scenarios I’m not I’m not ruling out Philly I’m

Not ruling out a run from Philly that could be something that that uh would would really be a mindblower for me uh but that could be a team that you have to be on the lookout for Miami you know I I’m at the same time sick of Miami and don’t want to bother

With them but also kind of want to have Miami just so the Celtics can dismiss the Heat and be done with them and put them out and have everybody just shut the hell up about Miami because Boston is better than Miami this isn’t last year’s team this isn’t this Miami Heat

Team is not last year’s Heat team this is a team that is struggling Jimmy Butler keeps talking about this is the time this is when we’re gonna turn it on and you haven’t turned it on at all the Heat uh are struggling what have they they

Have lost uh four of their last uh they’ve Lo they’re four and six in their last 10 they’re they’re just look they’re 39 and 33 they’re they’re they’re not great they’re they’re okay they’re an okay team so if it happens to be Miami if it happens to be Chicago if

It happens to be Atlanta bring them on I don’t care the Celtics should dismiss those teams in five or six games should not be an issue the 4 five game could potentially be interesting so one plays eight two plays seven uh 3 six four five that’s how it goes the Celtics after

They beat the eighth seed play the winner of the 45 matchup which could be one of three teams Cleveland New York and Orlando and according to playoffstatus.com New York and Orlando are these these teams are expected to hold their spots Cleveland has a uh let’s look at their remaining schedule it’s it’s a

Relatively easy well hold on the Cavaliers I’ve completely lost it as here we go when it comes to remaining schedule 48% winning percentage for the Cav so like I was saying relatively easy remaining games they have some tough ones against Denver the Clippers Phoenix is that tough uh Indie Lakers Sixers

They also have Charlotte Memphis and Utah so they’re they’re they have some tough games in there but you know not too bad New York has some tough games Boston OKC Milwaukee Sacramento Miami also games against San Antonio Toronto Brooklyn and Chicago they have three games left against Chicago really geez so New York

Has a a tough remaining schedule the Orlando Magic not quite as tough they have games against two games against Milwaukee they got the Clippers New Orleans the Sixers Warriors Rockets who are tough right now they also have Charlotte Portland Memphis and Chicago so all within reason so I don’t

Think any one particular team faces a a much tougher road than the other so if it if form holds we’re looking at Boston uh at facing New York or Orlando now I’m not very trusting that Orlando is going to make it uh I don’t think they are ready uh because they’re young

They have great talent and if they win sure that I I’m not saying that I I don’t expect them uh or I would be surprised if they win uh they’re 42 and 29 right now they are they’re good they’ve got good talent but for a team that hasn’t been there I’m curious to

See how how tough they will be in the playoffs but they have given Boston some problems right Orlando with their size their physicality has given Boston some problems New York if they’re fully healthy they’re getting Mitchell Robinson back they’re getting uh they they could get Julius Randall back

They’re they’re getting OJ an anobi I think he’ll be back by then if they can all stay healthy that team could be Boston’s biggest challenge I’d go as far as to say as the way things are shaping up right now second round for of the Eastern Conference playoffs will be the

Toughest matchup until the Celtics get to the finals and pH presumably the Denver Nuggets I mean I’m assuming the Celtics will get there so there all of this is to say there’s the obvious caveat that they can potentially lose these games I expect them to win so I’m

Speaking about it in terms of them winning obviously they can lose but Orlando with their size and their physicality New York with their physicality they’ve they’ve proven to be a challenge for for Boston Jaylen Brunson has balls Julius Randall is tough uh you know lefties are always extra tough and anobi provides a

Defensive guy that that can bother at least one of the Jays they with Robinson back they have a rim protector and that rim protector always kind of mucks things up against Boston and this you’ll see a lot of I would not be surprised if we get to if we get to Celtics and

Knicks I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a lot of of sitting on kickouts to the corner three which is going to be I think a defense that gets played against Boston where you funnel them into the middle of the defense knowing that Mitchell Robinson’s going to be there

And try to get the Celtics to kick out to the corner and and try to do the kick Swing Swing and sit on that pass somebody who might be up uh guarding at the at the break could just be reading that and sliding sliding sliding and then just trying to jump the passing

Lane so that’s something that I expect a Tom Tibido team to to try so the New York Knicks present a real potential challenge to the Celtics I’m not I’m not going to sit there and be dismissive of the Knicks uh in fact let’s let’s rank the potential playoff opponents as

Far as who do you fear this is a question I’ve been asked before who do you fear who’s going to be the toughest Challenge and you go from that to the easiest we’ll do that when I come back Today’s Show is brought to you by better help now I have benefited from

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You’re thinking about starting therapy give betterhelp a try betterhelp HP betterhelp.com lockon NBA all right let’s get back into this and finish up our conversation here about the playoff scenarios I’m torn I’m actually torn between the Knicks and the Bucks and I’m leaning towards most dangerous most

Dangerous team the Celtics can face in the playoffs is the mo the the New York Knicks and I know the Bucks have Dame and I know the Bucks have Giannis but I feel like the matchup the attitude the physical all of that stuff the way they can

Play they can kind of match Boston in a way that even though Milwaukee has far better players as at the top top level players and even though I do give them that respect I feel like with brunson’s attitude and his ability to get where he needs to get and

Anon noi’s ability to defend and Randall’s toughness and Robinson in the middle it just is enough that it messes with what Boston is trying to do where I feel like that could be that if there’s a series that goes seven that would be the series Boston

New York if there’s a series that goes seven again I’m on record is saying I don’t think Boston goes seven in any Series in the playoffs including the NBA Finals I do not think Boston goes to a game seven but if I’m wrong I’m picking

The New York Knicks to be the team that would take Boston to a game seven just BEC I just I I I value what brunson’s been doing he’s he’s just a dog he I I value the matchups I think anobi has changed so much so that’s my pick Milwaukee is obviously right there

One in onea as far as potential opponents uh after that I I would say Philadelphia with embiid if healthy if healthy if they if he comes back and this is admittedly an incredibly large ask for a guy that’s been out for a while uh months with a meniscus to come back and

Be who he used to be that’s a that’s a tough ask so I take I I I give that caveat but if he is healthy then I put Philly behind them uh after that like the Indiana Pacers because I’ve seen the Pacers be scary but I also first of all Tyrese halberton has

Kind of slipped since the injuries and and and I don’t think he’s he’s fully to who he was when he was dominating and leading them to the play uh the the midseason tournament the End season tournament and having that big run where he was just like the star on the stage

Like he was he was taking over the NBA like front and center he’s slipped a bit since then because of the injuries so uh I I don’t I don’t fear the Pacers quite like and and they just they don’t have the playoff level defense to scare me

But uh and and and the Celtics wouldn’t face them until the until the Conference Finals anyway because they are right now at least in this configuration they would be in the 36 they would place they would play the winner of Milwaukee theoretically Milwaukee and Miami so if

If they they would have to get past the Cavaliers who uh would be dangerous as well but I I don’t know you let me know in the comments and and tell me if I’m wrong if am I over overvaluing the New York Knicks am I am I I kind of buying

Too much into that uh I I don’t think I am I think Boston if they do face Milwaukee they play Brook Lopez off the floor for a lot of the game and it takes away the number one thing that they do defensively they’re already a tough uh they’ve already had a tough defensive

Season so Doc Rivers has helped change that they’re not giving up as many transition points but they’re not a great defensive team anymore and Boston takes away the one thing that makes them a great defensive team and that that I think knocks them down a peg so this is where the playoffs

Are right now it’s very likely gonna be one of I it it could be Miami but Miami like I said uh if they win that first game they they become the seven seed I I’m I’m going to bet that it’s Atlanta I actually think Atlanta is going to do it

Again and we’re gonna get that again which you know what fine by me fine by me and the Celtics should sweep the Atlanta Hawks so uh and it can start it can start by sending a message on Thursday night which that’s not how they think and so that’s not what they’re

Going to do but also uh considering the I don’t know I’m going to call it a little bit of an embarrassment uh after blowing that 30-point lead and having to answer all those questions I feel like this could be another 50-point win for Boston because they’re going to want to

Be like okay look this was this was fine we’re just gonna let you know that we got bored with that game and congratulations for taking advantage of that and and we got burned by it but just this is what should have happened I feel like that’s what’s GNA happen in

That game so uh that’s we’ll see we’ll see how that goes but my guess at first round and then New York second round and then Milwaukee in the third round that’s my guess looking at how things are going how things are lined up still 10 10

Games left to play and things are still tight with only a game and a half separating three through five and then the the in you know the the 678 is is separated by a game and a half so there could be some maneuvering there so we’ll see we’ll revisit later whenever that uh

Gets sorted out but that’s an early look at what the playoff scenario is let me know in the comments section what you think who do you want to play who Do you want to see am I right am I wrong when it comes to this stuff let me know and I

Would love it if you shared the podcast spread the word tell your friends tell everybody they should be listening to and watching the locked on Celtics podcast right here in the lockdown podcast Network it’s your team every day

With 10 games left to play, the playoff picture is starting to come into focus. There can still be plenty of movement, but we’re starting to narrow down the possibilities. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into who the first and second round opponents might be, and who might be the biggest threat to the Celtics.

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Locked On Celtics is a daily Boston Celtics podcast by Boston Sports Journal beat writer John Karalis. It’s an inside look at the C’s from a former professional basketball player who is at practices & games.

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