Celtics Clinch 2022 NBA Playoff Berth with Cavaliers' Loss to Hawks

The Boston Celtics secured a spot in the NBA playoffs in the year 2022.

Boston has reached the playoffs for the eighth straight season and 14th time in the past 15 years. The Celtics are looking like one of the most promising teams in the league.

The team has been successful this season because of the contributions of both Tatum and Brown. Marcus Smart is one of the team's best defenders and has begun to click with his teammates.

The Celtics brought back Al Horford and Daniel Theis via trade. The familiarity has helped the lineup thrive, while the addition of Derrick White and emergence of Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams have also contributed to Ime Udoka's side finding sustained success.

Robert Williams, one of Boston's most important players, will not be able to play in the playoffs due to a torn meniscus. He is expected to be out for four to six weeks after having surgery. Before his injury, Williams was in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year and ranked second in the NBA with 2.2 blocks per game.

The Celtics did not look like a playoff team through the first half of the season. They dealt with injuries, COVID-19-related absences and a lack of connection. During the second half of the season, that changed and has been a big reason why the team is back in the playoffs.

The Celtics are in third place in the Eastern Conference. They will face an uphill battle in the playoffs against teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.