The Boston Celtics will start their first-round series at TD Garden this Sunday, aiming to defend their NBA championship title. The NBA announced the dates for all Game 1 matchups on Monday, with start times revealed only for the Saturday games. Boston, as the East's No. 2 seed, awaits the outcome of the No. 7 Magic vs. No. 8 Hawks game on Tuesday to determine their first-round opponent.
The Celtics have a 1-2 record against potential opponents Magic and Hawks this season. Boston's losses to Orlando occurred without Jayson Tatum, while Atlanta secured early season road wins in Boston. The two teams last faced each other on Jan. 18. Orlando and Atlanta split their season series at 2-2, setting the stage for their matchup in the play-in tournament. Boston is favored at -145 by DraftKings to win the Eastern Conference.