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Celtics-Pacers preview: Why Boston is a strong favorite to advance to the NBA Finals

The top-seeded Boston Celtics (64-18) will face the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers (47-35) in the 2024 Eastern Conference finals. Their last NBA playoff meeting occurred in 2019, when the Celtics swept the Pacers. This past December, Indiana defeated Boston in the quarterfinals of the in-season tournament.

How the Celtics got here

Following an upset loss to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals, Boston is back, making its third straight appearance in the third round of the playoffs — and sixth in eight seasons.