[jwplayer Rfco0CJs-z6KDnl0B]
While the Boston Celtics won’t have a game against the Miami Heat to close out their 2019-20 NBA season and perhaps help them decide their first round opponent in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, they will have the NBA’s fifth-easiest remaining schedule according to AP reporter Tim Reynolds.
Not a bad trade off really, when you think about it.
The Celtics find themselves trailing on the New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets in that order in that regard, with the Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and Portland Trail Blazers having the hardest remaining schedules respectively.
Using that metric — counting only the games involving the 22 teams left — here's who has the hardest schedule in the seeding round …
1. Denver
2. Toronto
3. Lakers
4. Heat
5. Blazers… and the easiest
18. Celtics
19. Nets
20. Magic
21. 76ers
22. Pelicans— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 26, 2020
While the second-place Raptors sit three games ahead of Boston in the Eastern Conference standings, it’s not out of the question that the Celtics could overtake their northern rivals — or choose to rest starters late in the season in a bid to control their postseason path if they deem it wise.
With games against the Wizards sans Davis Bertans, the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, Nets and Magic, more than half of Boston’s remaining schedule is against sub- .500 teams, which should help the Celtics find their sea legs going into the first round of the playoffs.
[lawrence-related id=37666,37657,37650,37613]