The Eastern Conference standings have rarely been so tight at the end of the season as they are now, and predicting a postseason opponent is more difficult than ever because of the league’s play-in tournament. With teams up and down the standings potentially bad matchups for certain clubs, do the Boston Celtics want to do what they can to avoid crossing paths with the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs?
With the Nets currently in the 10-place slot in the East, the only way to do that for certain for the Celtics — in second place right now — would be to fall below their current position.
