When will the Eastern Conference Finals tip off for the Boston Celtics?

BOSTON — The Celtics are on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight season and the sixth time in the last eight years. But who they’ll play for a trip to the NBA Finals and when the series will tip off will remain unknown for a few more days.

Boston finished off the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, thanks to Al Horford turning back the clock and leading the team to a 113-98 series-clinching victory at TD Garden on Wednesday night. Now the Celtics will get at least a few days off before their next playoff bout begins. 

We’ll have a better idea of how it will all shake out over the next two days. Boston gets the winner of the Knicks-Pacers series, with New York leading the set 3-2 heading into Friday night’s Game 6 in Indiana. A Knicks win on Friday would set up a highly anticipated Boston-New York conference finals, which would tip off either Sunday or Tuesday at TD Garden. If the Pacers even the series and force a Game 7 in New York, that would take the Sunday afternoon slot. 

The Timberwolves-Nuggets series in the Western Conference also factors into Boston’s future. If the Timberwolves force a Game 7 against the Nuggets with a win on Thursday night, that deciding game would also take place on Sunday and the Eastern Conference Finals would be pushed to Tuesday. 

For those who like to plan ahead, here are two schedules for the Eastern Conference Finals, depending on how things play out in the NBA playoffs the rest of the week.

Eastern Conference Finals schedule if Knicks-Pacers and Nuggets-Timberwolves finish in six games

Game 1: Sunday, May 19 at 3:30 p.m. in Boston
Game 2: Tuesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. in Boston
Game 3: Saturday, May 25 at 8:30 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 4: Monday, May 27 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 5: Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
Game 6: Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana*
Game 7: Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
* If Necessary

Eastern Conference Finals schedule if Knicks-Pacers or Nuggets-Timberwolves go seven games

Game 1: Tuesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. in Boston
Game 2: Thursday, May 23 at 8 p.m. in Boston
Game 3: Saturday, May 25 at 8:30 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 4: Monday, May 27 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 5: Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
Game 6: Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana*
Game 7: Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
* If Necessary

The Celtics will obviously be rooting for the Knicks and the Pacers to go seven and exhaust each other further. Horford could use a few extra days rest after his monster Game 5 against the Cavs, and if the Celtics are lucky, maybe Kristaps Porzingis could return early in the Conference Finals. (That may be wishful thinking, but time will tell.)

Either way, the Celtics should take full advantage of the rest they get before starting their battle for a spot in the NBA Finals. That will be important against either team, with the Pacers playing every game like a track meet and games against the Knicks resembling more of a boxing match.