Boston, Massachusetts is on a quest to achieve a basketball milestone that has not been seen since the Golden State Warriors’ three consecutive championships from 2017 to 2019. As the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are positioned well for a deep playoff run, armed with valuable championship experience that could give them an edge over their competitors, including the Cleveland Cavaliers.

During the regular season, Boston closely trailed Cleveland’s top-seeded pace by only 3.5 games, setting the stage for a potentially exciting matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals. If the Celtics can maintain their strong performance, they have a strong chance of advancing further in the playoffs and potentially securing a shot at the championship.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks face a tough road ahead in the Western Conference, needing to embark on a remarkable journey through the playoffs starting in the play-in round in order to make it to the NBA Finals. Teams like Denver, Golden State, and the Los Angeles Lakers possess an advantage in playoff experience due to their recent appearances in the Finals, making them formidable opponents in the postseason.

In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder emerged as the top regular-season team, but they must navigate through a competitive bracket to potentially face off against the likes of Boston, Cleveland, or another Eastern team. For OKC, securing a spot in the NBA Finals would require conquering the challenging competition in the West for the first time in their franchise history.