The NBA on Wednesday released the full schedule for the Celtics’ upcoming first-round playoff series.
Boston, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, will host the first two games on Sunday and Tuesday before traveling to either Philadelphia or Orlando for Games 3 and 4 next Friday and Sunday, pending the outcome of Wednesday night’s 7 vs. 8 play-in game.
If necessary, the Celtics would host Game 5 on Tuesday, April 28, visit the 76ers/Magic for Game 6 on Thursday, April 30, and host Game 7 on Saturday, May 2.
Here is the full series schedule:
Game 1: Sunday, April 19 at Boston (1 p.m.; ABC)
Game 2: Tuesday, April 21 at Boston (7 p.m.; Peacock)
Game 3: Friday, April 24 at Philadelphia/Orlando (7 p.m.; Prime Video)
Game 4: Sunday, April 26 at Philadelphia/Orlando (7 p.m.; NBC)
*Game 5: Tuesday, April 28 at Boston (TBD)
*Game 6: Thursday, April 30 at Philadelphia/Orlando (TBD)
*Game 7: Saturday, May 2 at Boston (TBD)
*If necessary
The Sunday start date gives Joe Mazzulla’s club a six-day break between the end of the regular season and the playoffs, during which the team is scheduled to hold three practices.
The loser of Wednesday’s play-in game will face the ninth-place Charlotte Hornets in a winner-take-all matchup for the No. 8 seed. Charlotte defeated the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime Tuesday in the opening game of the play-in tournament.
Whichever team emerges from that game will meet the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in the opening round. The No. 3 New York Knicks will face the No. 6 Atlanta Hawks, and the No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers will match up against the No. 5 Toronto Raptors.
Out West, three first-round matchups are set: No. 2 San Antonio vs. No. 7 Portland, No. 3 Denver vs. No. 6 Minnesota and No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston. The No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder will see whichever of Phoenix, Golden State or the Los Angeles Clippers emerges from the final play-in.