Celtics’ Quest for Banner 19 Begins Against Orlando Magic

The Boston Celtics will begin their pursuit of another championship as they host the Orlando Magic for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series at TD Garden on Easter Sunday.

As the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, Boston aims to become the first team since the 1968 and 1969 Bill Russell-led squads to repeat as NBA champions. Their goal is to break a 57-year gap, marking the first back-to-back championships since the Golden State Warriors achieved the feat in 2017 and 2018.

While the No. 7 seed Orlando Magic might not pose the biggest challenge on the Celtics' journey, the road ahead won't be without obstacles. The East is stacked with tough contenders, including the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. A potential NBA Finals clash with any of the formidable Western teams—Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, or Denver Nuggets—will be far from easy.

So, just how far will the Celtics go in their quest for Banner 19? Our partners at Strat-O-Matic ran a simulation, and the results were quite intriguing.

First Round: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 7 Orlando Magic, 4-0

As expected, the defending champions dominate the underdog Magic with a first-round sweep. Boston sets the tone for their postseason run with two blowout wins at TD Garden before closing out the series in Orlando with two tighter victories.

East Semifinals: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 6 Detroit Pistons, 4-3

Round 2 presents a tougher challenge as the scrappy Detroit Pistons, fresh off an impressive rebound season, push the Celtics to the limit. After dispatching the New York Knicks in five games, Detroit battles Boston to a Game 7, but the Celtics prevail with a 13-point win at TD Garden, securing their place in the Eastern Conference Finals for the fourth consecutive year.

East Finals: No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers defeat No. 2 Celtics, 4-3

The Cleveland Cavaliers, who cruised to the East Finals with sweeps over the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, meet the Celtics in a highly anticipated rematch. Boston steals a tough Game 1 on the road, but Cleveland bounces back with three straight wins to put the Celtics on the brink of elimination.

Down 3-1, the Celtics fight back with a thrilling five-point win in Cleveland and force a Game 7 with a commanding victory at TD Garden. However, in Game 7, the Celtics lead at halftime but falter as Cleveland goes on a 12-2 run in the third quarter. The Cavaliers hold on to win 108-98, ending Boston’s title defense.

Celtics' Top Playoff Performers

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the way for the Celtics, with Tatum averaging 28.1 points per game and Brown contributing 22.8 points per game.

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Western Conference Playoffs

First Round:

• No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder defeat No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies, 4-2

• No. 4 Denver Nuggets defeat No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers, 4-1

• No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers defeat No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-3

• No. 2 Houston Rockets defeat No. 7 Golden State Warriors, 4-3

West Semifinals:

• No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder defeat No. 4 Denver Nuggets, 4-2

• No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers defeat No. 2 Houston Rockets, 4-2

West Finals:

• No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder defeat No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1

2025 NBA Finals:

• Oklahoma City Thunder defeat Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-3

The Thunder emerge victorious in a thrilling seven-game series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is named Finals MVP, averaging 35.0 points and 6.0 assists per game.