Even as the Celtics carved through the Eastern Conference on their way to an NBA Finals appearance, many believed Boston didn’t pass the smell test. Some games were a bit too close for comfort against the Heat, Cavaliers and Pacers, particularly with each team’s star missing multiple games.
It’s fair to say that narrative is now behind the Celtics.
Joe Mazzulla’s team has made quick work of the Mavericks to this point, rolling to three consecutive wins to move within a victory of the franchise’s first championship since 2008. The Celtics have had their share of impressive title runs in their history, but 2024 has a chance to join a pretty exclusive club.
If it feels like it’s been a long time since Boston’s last loss, you would be correct. A sweep of Dallas would propel this Celtics run into a new echelon, even after the team’s near-disasters earlier in the playoffs.
Here’s a look at where the Celtics’ run could stand among the all-time best in NBA history.
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Celtics playoff record
The Celtics enter Game 4 of the NBA Finals with a 15-2 record in the playoffs.
It felt like the sky was falling at times during Boston’s run through the East, even as wins piled up. Both of the Celtics’ losses came in unexpected spots at home, when they were heavily favored. Boston also played surprisingly close games against Cleveland when Donovan Mitchell was out, and the underdog Pacers gave the Celtics a scare both with and without Tyrese Haliburton in the lineup.
That led some to wonder: would the Celtics’ struggle to pass the eye test against injured, inferior teams be a bad sign entering the NBA Finals, or would all of those close finishes benefit them? Reality has aligned with the latter. Boston hasn’t been rattled at all by a battle-tested Dallas team, and the Celtics have had no problems closing out games both at home and on the road.
The Celtics are now one of nine teams to win 10 consecutive games in a single playoff run, reaching the mark for the first time in their illustrious history.
Fewest losses in an NBA championship run
A Celtics sweep wouldn’t set a record for fewest losses in a championship run. That distinction is held by the 1983 76ers, 2001 Lakers and 2017 Warriors, who each had only one loss on their way to a title.
Here’s a closer look at each run:
1983 76ers
| Round | Opponent | Series record |
| First round | Knicks | 4-0 |
| Eastern Conference Finals | Bucks | 4-1 |
| NBA Finals | Lakers | 4-0 |
| Total | 12-1 |
2001 Lakers
| Round | Opponent | Series record |
| First round | Trail Blazers | 3-0 |
| Second round | Kings | 4-0 |
| Western Conference Finals | Spurs | 4-0 |
| NBA Finals | 76ers | 4-1 |
| Total | 15-1 |
2017 Warriors
| Round | Opponent | Series record |
| First round | Trail Blazers | 4-0 |
| Second round | Jazz | 4-0 |
| Western Conference Finals | Spurs | 4-0 |
| NBA Finals | Cavaliers | 4-1 |
| Total | 16-1 |
The 2017 Warriors have the best playoff record in NBA history, as they won one more game than the 2001 Lakers because the first round was a best-of-seven rather than a best-of-five. The 76ers, meanwhile, only played three rounds in 1983 and finished with 12 wins.
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Here’s a look at the best-winning percentages in a single playoff run, which tells you just how rare the Celtics’ run has been:
| Year | Team | Winning pct. | Record |
| 2017 | Warriors | .941 | 16-1 |
| 2001 | Lakers | .938 | 15-1 |
| 1983 | 76ers | .923 | 12-1 |
| 1989 | Pistons | .882 | 15-2 |
| 1991 | Bulls | .882 | 15-2 |
| 1999 | Spurs | .882 | 15-2 |
| 2024 | Celtics | .882 | 15-2 |
A sweep would give the Celtics the fourth-highest winning percentage by any NBA team in a single playoff run.
The historic runs by the Warriors and Lakers have a few notable similarities. Both the Lakers and Warriors swept the Trail Blazers in the first round, and both would go on to sweep the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Each suffered their only loss in the NBA Finals, with the Lakers dropping Game 1 to Allen Iverson and the 76ers while the Warriors started 15-0 before losing Game 4 to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Both championships were the second of a dynasty. The Lakers would three-peat in 2002, while the Warriors would win their third title in four years in 2018.
The Celtics are certainly hoping their current run is the start of a dynasty, though that’s becoming more difficult than ever with the parity of the current NBA.
Dynasty or not, one more win would place Boston’s run among the very best in league history.