Celtics to host Wizards in NBA play-in tournament Tuesday originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics will host the Washington Wizards in the NBA play-in tournament Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.
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The Celtics, who lost to the New York Knicks in Sunday afternoon's regular season finale, finished as the No. 7 seed with a 36-36 record. The Wizards clinched the No. 8 seed Sunday after beating the Charlotte Hornets.
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All the C's need to do to earn a playoff spot is beat the Wizards. If that happens, Boston will be the No. 7 seed and play the No. 2 seed in the first round.
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If the Celtics lose to the Wizards, they will play the winner of the Hornets versus Indiana Pacers play-in game. That Pacers-Hornets matchup is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET. In that scenario, a victory over the Pacers or Hornets would make the C's the No. 8 seed in the first round.
If the Celtics lose to the Wizards and the Pacers/Hornets, they will miss the playoffs and enter the NBA Draft Lottery.
The Celtics went 2-1 versus the Wizards during the regular season, but Washington won't be an easy opponent. The Wizards were one of the hottest teams in the last month of the season, posting a 16-6 record since April 7. Wizards guards Bradley Beal (the league's second-leading scorer) and Russell Westbrook (who averaged a triple-double for the season) present a difficult matchup for Boston.