NBA Playoff Picture: Eastern Conference bracket, Celtics' potential opponents set

NBA playoff picture: East bracket, Celtics' potential opponents set originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There will be no guesswork or seeding drama in the East this weekend.

While there's still plenty to sort out in the Western Conference, the Eastern Conference No. 1 through No. 15 seeds are all locked in entering the final games of the regular season.

Celtics-Raptors takeaways: Hauser steals the show in C's blowout win

The Boston Celtics officially are No. 2 seed with a 57-25 record and their first-round opponent will be either the No. 7 seed Miami Heat or No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks, who will face off in next week's NBA play-in tournament.

Here's a look at the East standings, every first-round playoff matchup, the play-in tournament schedule and what a path to the NBA Finals would look like for Boston.

Eastern Conference Standings

1. Milwaukee Bucks (58-24)

2. Boston Celtics (57-25) -- 1 game back

3. Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) -- 4.0 GB

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) -- 7.0 GB

5. New York Knicks (47-34) -- 10.5 GB

6. Brooklyn Nets (45-37) -- 13.0 GB

7. Miami Heat (43-38) -- 14.5 GB

8. Atlanta Hawks (41-41) -- 17.0 GB

9. Toronto Raptors (41-41) -- 17.0 GB

10. Chicago Bulls (39-42) -- 18.5 GB

Eastern Conference first round playoff matchups

• No. 1 Bucks vs. No. 8 Heat/Hawks/Raptors/Bulls

• No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 Heat/Hawks

• No. 3 76ers vs. No. 6 Nets

• No. 4 Cavs vs. No. 5 Knicks

Play-in tournament schedule

• Tuesday, April 11: No. 7 Heat vs. No. 8 Hawks (winner faces No. 2 Celtics in Round 1)

• Wednesday, April 12: No. 9 Raptors vs. No. 10 Bulls (winner faces Heat vs. Hawks loser)

• Friday, April 14: Heat/Hawks loser vs. Raptors/Bulls winner (Winner faces No. 1 Bucks in Round 1)

The Celtics will know their Round 1 opponent Tuesday night after Heat-Hawks game. Game 1 of their first-round matchup is set for Saturday, April 15, at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Celtics' postseason path (if higher seeds advance)

• First Round: vs. No. 7 seed Heat/Hawks

• Second Round: vs. No. 3 seed 76ers

• East Finals: vs. No. 1 seed Bucks

Boston will have home-court advantage in every series except a potential East Finals matchup with the Bucks. The C's also have a better record than any team in the West, so they'd have home-court advantage if they reach the NBA Finals, as well.