A few thoughts about the Celtics as they prepare for some high-profile games against the Mavericks, Warriors, Cavaliers, and Nuggets over the next week …
⋅ The Celtics have an eight-game lead over the second-place Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings with just 24 games remaining. No one is going to catch them.
The rest of the playoff picture figures to be murky until the final week of the regular season. Even then, the Celtics will have to wait for the play-in tournament involving the Nos.7-10 seeds to unfold before their first-round opponent is determined.
But the collection of likely playoff teams seems pretty clear, and the Celtics have to be pleased to see the Heat roll off a five-game winning streak that pushed them just above play-in line.
The Celtics are actually well-equipped to beat the Heat this season. Center Kristaps Porzingis changes everything against their smaller, switching lineups. Nevertheless, drawing Miami in the first round would be absolutely brutal.
There is another team to keep an eye on, however. The 76ers are just 4-9 since reigning MVP Joel Embiid was sidelined with a knee injury. They are tied for fifth with the Heat, but clearly trending the wrong way.
On Thursday, Embiid spoke optimistically about returning during the regular season. It remains to be seen if he will, or how effective he will be if he does. But a Celtics/76ers first-round matchup, with Embiid back, could be a real possibility. It’s something Boston would prefer to avoid.
In the coming weeks, the Celtics will go out of their way to make it clear that they do not care what team they face in the playoffs. Their answers will not be totally truthful. The guess here is that among potential opponents in each round, the Celtics wouldn’t mind a Hawks/Pacers/Cavaliers route to the Finals.
⋅ Yes, the Celtics’ final roster spot remains empty. Yes, they will fill it eventually. No, there is no urgency to do it right now.
According to league sources, the Celtics are essentially delaying their decision to see if a need arises in the coming weeks due to an injury. They continue to evaluate all of the possibilities. A league source said it was “unlikely” that the team would look to bring back forward Mike Muscala, who recently reached a buyout agreement with the Pistons. But nothing has been ruled out.
Also, the source said, two-way contract center Neemias Queta remains in contention to secure the final spot. Boston could also wait until the end of the regular season and sign a younger developmental piece, like it did last April when it added forward Justin Champagnie. Regardless, there is no potential addition who would be in line for meaningful playoff minutes.
⋅ Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge was indeed a finalist for the Hornets’ general manager opening, according to a league source. ESPN reported Thursday that Charlotte will hire Nets assistant general manager Jeff Peterson.
Still, it’s notable that Ainge, 42, was heavily considered. Boston’s small, close-knit front office has remained mostly unchanged for years, aside from Brad Stevens replacing Danny Ainge as president of basketball operations in 2021. And the Celtics have been in the championship conversation for nearly a decade, even though they have not finished the job yet. So it was inevitable that this group would start receiving interest from other teams.
Ainge joined the franchise as the coach and then general manager of the G League affiliate in Maine in 2009 and has been working in the Celtics’ front office since 2011.
⋅ Kyrie Irving turned into one of the most hated opponents in Celtics history when he bolted in free agency following the 2018-19 season after vowing at the start of the year to sign a contract extension. Whenever he returned to TD Garden with the Nets in recent years, it became an event.
But nearly five years have passed since Irving left, and now he plays for the Mavericks, who are not even in the same conference as the Celtics and certainly are no rival. So when Dallas comes to TD Garden Friday night, Irving will be booed when starting lineups are introduced, and maybe the first few times he touches the ball, but the temperature has definitely been lowered on the vitriol.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.