For the second consecutive postseason, the Celtics and Heat meet in the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics edged out the Heat in seven games last year to reach the 2022 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n
The Celtics entered this season as one of the cofavorites to win the championship. They embarked on a deep run last season, which resulted in a runner-up finish after losing to the Warriors in the NBA Finals. The Celtics spent the majority of this season as the betting favorite to win the championship, or the second-favorite on the NBA futures board behind the Bucks.<\/p>\n
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The Celtics won nine consecutive games in November, which propelled them on a 17-2 run early in the season. Their highly efficient, 3-point-heavy offense looked unstoppable in December, after they amassed a 21-5 record. The Bucks snapped off a 16-game winning streak and moved ahead of the Celtics late in the second half of the season to secure the #1 seed. The Celtics finished the season with 57 wins — six more than they did the previous season — and locked up the #2 seed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Celtics struggled at times this postseason, yet found ways to stay alive. They eliminated the #7 Atlanta Hawks in six games in the first round. The #3 Philadelphia 76ers pushed the Celtics to a full seven-game series before the Celtics knocked them out in a 24-point blowout in Game 7 on Sunday.<\/p>\n
FiveThirtyEight <\/em>predicts the Celtics have a 78% chance to win this series and return to the NBA Finals. According to their projection, the Celtics have a 54% chance to win the championship.<\/p>\n