After their loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday (Nov. 24,) the Boston Celtics‘ chances of progressing to the knockout stages of the in-season tournament took a significant blow. Joe Mazzulla‘s team currently sit second in “East Group C” behind the Magic, who won three and lost one of their four games. Orlando also has a +22 point differential.
While it won’t be easy, multiple scenarios could see the Celtics regain the top spot in their group and move into the tournament’s knock-out stages. The only way the Celtics can win their group is if they beat the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday (Nov. 28) and the Brooklyn Nets win their upcoming game. The Celtics would also need a positive points differential to win the tiebreaker.
In a recent post on X, NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg detailed the three scenarios that could also see the Celtics qualify for the knockout stages as a wildcard selection. However, none of those scenarios are straightforward, and a lot would need to break in the Celtics’ favor.
IST scenarios for Celtics … pic.twitter.com/N7CV8YfmI3
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) November 25, 2023
Whether the Celtics progress in the in-season tournament or not, it’s clear the NBA’s plan of making November games more interesting has been a success, and the tournament will likely remain in the years to come. For Boston, their primary focus will remain on winning their 18th championship. Still, there’s a lot of work to be done before that goal becomes a reality.
Listen to the “Green With Envy” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3DoLhYK
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Oj4dhD
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3K8MbvY
