Celtics back in playoffs after Nets lose to Bulls
The Boston Celtics weren’t thinking about the playoffs the way there were playing 2½ months ago, but that’s exactly where they’re headed.
The Celtics clinched a postseason berth on Monday night thanks to Brooklyn’s 113-86 loss to Chicago.
Boston was a season-worst 14 games under .500 and four games out of a playoff spot Feb. 2 but has since gone 22-12 to move into seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
“We didn’t even know we had a chance back in the beginning of January,” Tyler Zeller said after Sunday’s 117-78 win over undermanned Cleveland. “It says a lot about the group we have just coming out every night and competing.”
Despite getting in, coach Brad Stevens is unlikely to rest his players for Tuesday’s game against Toronto. The Celtics (38-42) had a chance to clinch a berth Sunday had Indiana lost to Oklahoma City and when asked if that would change anything Stevens said, “Toronto walk-through at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Nothing changes at all. … We’re going to keep gaining steam here.”
If the Celtics finish in seventh, they’ll face the Cavaliers in the first round. Sunday’s game wasn’t much of a playoff preview, however, as Cleveland rested LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving with the No. 2 seed locked up.
The Raptors, who are trying to complete a 4-0 trip for the first time in franchise history, have won six of eight but one of those defeats came at home to the Celtics on Feb. 4. Marcus Smart hit a buzzer-beating layup in overtime in Boston’s 117-116 win.
That victory sparked a four-game winning streak for the Celtics, who have won six of seven while averaging 109.0 points — 7.6 better than their season average.
Isaiah Thomas is leading the offensive surge and seems to have regained his shooting touch after sitting out eight games with a bruised back. He is averaging 23.2 points and shooting 51.4 percent in the last five contests after scoring 11.8 on 29.4 percent shooting in his first five back. Thomas had 25 as Boston snapped a four-game losing streak to the Raptors just over a week ago.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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