The Eastern Conference seeds are set following the end of regular season on Sunday. The first round begins on Saturday, April 20th.

First Round Matchups

• No. 1 Boston Celtics vs. No. 8 (Sixers, Heat, Bulls or Hawks)

• No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 (Sixers or Heat)

• No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers

• No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Orlando Magic

Play-In

• No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 8 Miami Heat

• No. 9 Chicago Bulls vs. No. 10 Atlanta Hawks

Host Danny Leroux talks Celtics with Jared Weiss and the NBA’s closing stretch with Keith Smith of Spotrac.

Weiss and Leroux break down the Celtics’ phenomenal regular season and their playoff outlook while Leroux and Smith discuss Jrue Holiday’s extension, calibrating player salaries in the new cap environment and much more.

Sponsored by Factor Meals (code: realgm50) and PrizePicks (code: clns).

Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed. 

Jrue Holiday and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension.

Holiday is declining his $37.3 million player option for 24-25 to sign a long-term deal that will take him through the 27-28 season. Holiday's extension saves the Celtics several million dollars on the cap next year

Holiday was acquired by the Celtics before the start of training camp after the Milwaukee Bucks traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the Damian Lillard deal.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics made NBA history by combining for a record-low two free throw attempts in the entire game.

The Celtics also are the first team in history to not shoot a single free throw throughout an entire game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo shot the only two free throws in the game for the Bucks, who won 104-91.

"I thought it was a physical game, and then they handed me the stat sheet, and I told them, 'No, I need the full game. I thought it was the halftime stats. I didn't look at the minutes. And then I said, 'Wow, two free throws for a basketball game. That's crazy,'" said Doc Rivers after the game.

The Boston Celtics have signed center Neemias Queta to a standard NBA contract.

Queta has appeared in 26 games with the Celtics since signing a two-way contract with the franchise on September 17, 2023. The 7-0 center is recording career-highs in his first season with Boston, averaging 4.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 11.4 minutes per game.

Queta scored a career-high 14 points on 4-of-7 made field goals and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in the Celtics’ 145-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 23. Queta has recorded both of his career double-doubles this season, including his 10-point, 10-rebound performance against the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 19.

Kyrie Irving and Kristaps Porzingis have been named the NBA's Players of Week 24.

Irving averaged 31.8 points and 5.3 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks went 3-1.

Porzingis averaged 19.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks as the Boston Celtics went 4-0.

The Charlotte Hornets have received permission to interview multiple current assistant coaches for their head coaching vacancy. The Hornets are looking for a replacement at head coach for Steve Clifford. 

• David Adelman, Denver Nuggets

• Jordi Fernandez, Sacramento Kings

• Charles Lee, Boston Celtics

• Kevin Young, Phoenix Suns

Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown is playing through a ligament injury in his left hand. Brown said he has some sort of sprain or strain that is causing him discomfort, but that he doesn't think it's a big deal. Brown said he doesn't believe the injury will cause him to miss any time.

Brown is averaging 23.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. The three-time All-Star has also shot a career-best 50.2% from the field this season. In addition, Brown has taken the role of defending the opponent's best big forward most nights.

The Celtics have clinched the NBA's best record and homecourt advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs. That should afford Boston the ability to rest players, including Brown, as they see fit over the final six games of the season.

The Boston Celtics clinched the best record in the NBA after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 135-100 on Wednesday night.

"We deserve it. I think it's possibly going to matter if we follow through with the vision we have for ourselves," said Kristaps Porzingis, who finished the game with 27 points and 12 rebounds.

The Celtics improved their record to 60-16 on the season. It is the 14th 60-win season in franchise history.

Jaylen Brown added that the team was looking forward to the playoffs.

"We're not skipping any steps. Sixty wins. I think we're on track. When the playoffs start, it's back to square one," said Brown.

Rajon Rondo has announced his retirement from the NBA after 16 seasons.

During an appearance on the "All the Smoke" podcast, Matt Barnes asked Rondo if he was done in the NBA.

"Absolutely," said Rondo. "Yeah, I'm done. I can't. I'd rather spend time with my kids."

Rondo is 38 and last played during the 21-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.

"What a time, it was definitely something that I never took for granted when I was in the game," Rondo said. "I loved every minute of it, and I appreciate the brotherhood that I was able to share and bond and grow with over the years. I've learned so much in this game and it's made me the man who I am today. ... I tell people all the time, this wasn't a dream of mine, it was a goal. I was able to lock in, stay disciplined, I didn't party a lot in college. But it was worth the sacrifice of me getting to where I wanted to be in life."