Thunder-Celtics Clash: Possible NBA Finals Preview
The NBA schedule features a key matchup as the Thunder visit the Celtics, raising questions about potential Finals implications. Both teams are vying for playoff positioning.
The NBA schedule intensifies with 12 games on Wednesday, highlighted by a significant matchup in Boston where the last two NBA champions face off.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, leading the Western Conference, will compete against the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Celtics are currently holding onto second place in the Eastern Conference. According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index (BPI), the Thunder have a 65% probability of making it to the Finals, while the Celtics are at 14.8%, ranking fourth in the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks.
The Pistons, fresh from a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, will host the Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m. ET. The Hawks have been in excellent form, winning 13 out of their last 14 games, and have climbed to sixth place in the East.
Three additional games on Wednesday also feature teams projected to make the postseason. The Miami Heat, currently ninth in the East, will visit the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are in fourth place, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Heat are two games behind Atlanta for the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets will face the Minnesota Timberwolves at 9:30 p.m. ET. This matchup is crucial for playoff seeding, as Minnesota is tied with the Denver Nuggets for fourth place, just ahead of the sixth-place Rockets.
In the final game of the night, the Toronto Raptors will visit the LA Clippers at 10:30 p.m. ET. Toronto is narrowly leading Atlanta by half a game for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
For fans focusing on the lower end of the standings, the Washington Wizards will take on the Utah Jazz at 9 p.m. ET in a pivotal game for draft positioning. The Wizards are on a 16-game losing streak and are one defeat away from tying the Indiana Pacers for the worst record in the league. The Jazz, with a record of just 3-13 since the All-Star break, hold the fourth-worst overall record. If they maintain that position, they are guaranteed to keep their top-eight protected pick, regardless of the outcome of May's draft lottery.