With the regular season winding down, the Boston Celtics appear locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. However, the same can’t be said for the crowded play-in race, where just a couple of games separate the 6th and 9th seeds. Boston is set to face a play-in team in the first round. Potentially matching up against some familiar opponents looking to dethrone them. Let’s break down the possible matchups and how the Celtics fared against each during the regular season. The first meeti

After an offseason where many predicted the Boston Celtics would be a play-in team at best, Boston has shattered expectations and currently sits 2nd in the East. With the trade deadline approaching, there was growing speculation about whether the Celtics would make a move involving Anfernee Simons and his expiring contract. They did just that. Dealing Simons to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for veteran center Nikola Vučević and a swap of second round picks. Simons had been productive in Boston.

After five years in the league and just 17 career starts, there was real pressure on Payton Pritchard to prove he could be a starting-caliber point guard. Through the first 45 games, he’s done exactly that. Pritchard ranks first in the NBA in isolation efficiency, scoring 1.2 points per isolation while ranking just 32nd in isolation volume. Showing elite efficiency without heavy usage. His growth hasn’t been limited to just scoring.