The Boston Celtics still don't know which team they will play in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs despite the fact that only one game remains on their regular season schedule.
The C's final game is Sunday night on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies. Boston could still finish second, third or fourth in the Eastern Conference standings depending on how the final games shake out.
It's still mathematically possible for seven different teams to be the Celtics' opponent in Round 1.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Celtics Talk Podcast: As seeding comes into focus, can the Celtics make a championship run? | Listen & subscribe | Watch on YouTube
The most likely opponent is the Chicago Bulls. If that scenario plays out, it probably means the Celtics finished as the No. 3 seed because the Bulls are a strong bet to finish as the No. 6 seed.
Here are the latest first-round opponent odds for the Celtics entering Friday night's matchups around the league (via 98.5 The Sports Hub's Sean Grande).
The Bulls are the only team currently in a playoff spot in the East with a negative point differential (-0.2 per game) on the season. They also have lost nine of their last 13 games and won't have point guard Lonzo Ball for the playoffs due to injury.
The Celtics won the season series versus Chicago 2-1, including an impressive 117-94 victory at the United Center earlier this week. Based on the Bulls' injuries and lackluster play down the stretch, they are the ideal first-round opponent for the Celtics.
Boston Celtics
Find the latest Boston Celtics news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
The team with the second-highest odds of playing the C's in the first round is the Toronto Raptors. The Celtics are a better team than the Raptors, but Toronto is an experienced, scrappy and well-coached team. Boston saw that first hand in a second-round playoff series inside the bubble in 2020.
There are still several different playoff scenarios that could unfold for the Celtics through Sunday's regular season finale. The Celtics should be favored in Round 1 regardless of which team they play, but some matchups are more favorable than others.