Playoff Spot Clinched

[Fafnir]

I know this isn't a big deal for our team, or a big deal for any defending champion. But tonight the Celtics clinched a playoff berth with their win against the Nets. A spot in the playoffs after just 62 games is a good start to the season no matter how you slice it.

Congratulations guys, don't take the foot off the gas. 

(oh and the Cavs clinched a spot as well)

[Truck Lewis]

tp for recognizing an accomplishment that we take for granted so soon after winning 24 games

[lbj_216]

aint it crazy to think that the number 2 seed in the east is most likely gonna have 60plus wins

[Cman]

Wow, thanks for pointing that out.  I didn't realize!
Way to go Cs, keep it up!

[Truck Lewis]

to put things in perspective....we won only 24 games 24 months ago...if we win 65 games this year and come in 2nd in the east we will be disapointed....not that i disagree but weve come long way

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

interesting I only hear/read about cleveland clinching a playoff spot

[rondo987]

interesting I only hear/read about cleveland clinching a playoff spot

Yeah that kinda bugged me a lil bit. I knew the celts did too but I only heard about Cleveland clinching.

[FLCeltsFan]

They said last night that the Celtics clinched a playoff spot with last night's win, but the Globe says that we are within a game of clinching a spot and that the Cavs became the first to clinch a spot last night and they are a game ahead of us. 

The Celtics moved within a game of clinching a playoff spot, but a postseason appearance has been a foregone conclusion almost since opening night

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/05/celtics_eke_by_nets/

[Fafnir]

They said last night that the Celtics clinched a playoff spot with last night's win, but the Globe says that we are within a game of clinching a spot and that the Cavs became the first to clinch a spot last night and they are a game ahead of us. 

The Celtics moved within a game of clinching a playoff spot, but a postseason appearance has been a foregone conclusion almost since opening night

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2009/03/05/celtics_eke_by_nets/

Well I was going off ESPN's reports.

Look at the 9th and 10th place teams, NJ and Chicago. Both have 34 losses already. The Celtics if they were to lose every single game from here on out they'd have a record of 48-34. That would tie the Nets and Bulls if either of them won out. However we have won the season series with both teams. Therefore we have the tie-breaker and would remain the 8th seed.

Every other team out of the playoffs has 35 more losses and could not catch the Celtics. Also the Nets and Bulls play each other still on April 4th. So there is no possibility of a three way tie.

So we have clinched a playoff berth.

[paintitgreen]

Fafnir, it's the head to head thing that makes it. In terms of figuring out how many wins teams can get, Chicago and Jersey aren't 9th and 10th, they're 8th and 9th. Milwaukee is ahead of Chicago and New Jersey right now, but has 35 losses, so they can only win 47 games.  Only 8 teams outside of Boston can get 48 wins - Cleveland, Orlando, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago and New Jersey. So the fact that New Jersey and Chicago play each other - thus, only one can get 48 wins, means that only 7 teams can top or tie Boston, so Boston clinches. Tiebreakers don't matter because the Celtics can't be tied for 8th. The worst they can finish is tied for 7th against either Chicago or New Jersey.