Although the Celtics beat the Bulls Friday night, Atlanta clinched the NBA Cup knockout round berth from East Group C.
The Celtics and Hawks both won on Friday to finish at 3-1 atop the group standings. Atlanta owns the tiebreaker over Boston, thanks to a head-to-head victory in group stage play.
While the Celtics did not win East Group C, there are still a few scenarios that could allow Boston to advance to the knockout rounds. The Celtics could advance as the Eastern Conference wild card team if the point differential tiebreaker breaks their way.