Celtics

NBA playoffs: Here’s the Celtics’ schedule for the Eastern Conference finals

The Celtics are waiting to see if they'll take on the Knicks or Pacers, with Game 1 starting on either Sunday or Tuesday.

By Conor Roche

May 16, 2024

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The Celtics are back in the Eastern Conference finals.

Boston took care of business in Game 5 of its Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning 113-98 on Wednesday. With the 4-1 series win, the Celtics will play in the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth time in eight years, moving one step closer to a possible title.

The Celtics will take on either the Knicks or Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. New York holds a 3-2 series lead and can clinch a spot in the conference finals with a win in Friday’s Game 6.

Update: After the Timberwolves’ Game 6 win on Thursday night, the Celtics’ officially begin the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday, May 21st at 8 p.m. Here’s the full schedule:

Regardless of who wins, the Celtics should be favored in the Eastern Conference finals. They won four of their matchups against the Knicks and three of their five battles against the Pacers as part of a 64-win regular season. The Knicks did get the best of the Celtics the last time the two teams met, winning 118-109 in Boston on April 11 in a game that wasn’t anywhere as close as the score indicated. The Celtics and Pacers haven’t met since Jan. 30, with one of their five battles this season coming in the NBA’s in-season tournament.

If the Knicks hold off the Pacers, it’ll mark the 16th time the Celtics will face them in the postseason. Boston has won seven of those battles, including the last time the two teams met in the Eastern Conference finals in 1974. New York won the last postseason battle between the two teams, beating Boston in the first round in 2013.

If the Pacers come back to defeat the Knicks, it’ll mark the seventh time the Celtics will face them in the postseason. Boston has won four of the previous six playoff matchups, including the most recent one in 2019, when it swept Indiana in the first round. All six of the Celtics-Pacers playoff matchups have been in the first round.

As for when the Eastern Conference finals will begin, it depends on what happens in Thursday’s Nuggets-Timberwolves game and Friday’s Knicks-Pacers game. If just one of the Timberwolves or Pacers wins those respective matchups, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals will take place on Tuesday, May 21. If the Nuggets and Knicks win their Game 6s, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals will happen on Sunday, May 19.

Beyond Game 1, most of the dates of the Eastern Conference finals have already been set. A possible Game 7 would take place on June 2.

Here is the full schedule for the Eastern Conference finals.

If the Nuggets and Knicks win Game 6

Game 1: Knicks at Celtics, Sunday, May 19, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Game 2: Knicks at Celtics, Tuesday, May 21, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Game 3: Celtics at Knicks, Saturday, May 25, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)

Game 4: Celtics at Knicks, Monday, May 27, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Game 5: Knicks at Celtics, Wednesday, May 29, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*

Game 6: Celtics at Knicks, Friday, May 31, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*

Game 7: Knicks at Celtics, Sunday, June 2, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*

If the Timberwolves or Pacers win Game 6

Game 1: Knicks/Pacers at Celtics, Tuesday, May 21, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Game 2: Knicks/Pacers at Celtics, Thursday, May 23, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Game 3: Celtics at Knicks/Pacers, Saturday, May 25, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)

Game 4: Celtics at Knicks/Pacers, Monday, May 27, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Game 5: Knicks/Pacers at Celtics, Wednesday, May 29, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*

Game 6: Celtics at Knicks/Pacers, Friday, May 31, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*

Game 7: Knicks/Pacers at Celtics, Sunday, June 2, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*

*if necessary