MIAMI- The Miami Heat have the Milwaukee Bucks, the Celtics biggest competitors, on the brink of elimination in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Led by the heroics of Jimmy Butler, who scored an NBA playoffs all time historic 56 points in Game 4, the eight seeded Heat are one win away from knocking out the number one seeded Bucks. Only four times has this happened in NBA history, where an eight seed upsets a one seed.

In retrospect, everything is coming up Boston. Giannis Antetokounmpo is clearly not himself after injuring his back in Game 1. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. The Cleveland Cavaliers (who defeated the Celtics three out of the four matchups this year) are down 3-1 to the New York Knicks.

That’s not to say the Celtics will have a guaranteed trip back to the finals. The Knicks suddenly look like they are on a mission. The Heat play the Celtics tougher than maybe any other team in the entire league. The 76ers still have all star talent, even without Joel Embiid.

It just makes the path a whole lot easier with what has transpired.

In what appears to be a gentlemen’s sweep of the Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics look poised and focused. The Game 3 loss to the Hawks was an anomaly- mainly from Atlanta making some miraculous shots. Boston will have their eyes set on Philadelphia, who the C’s defeated three times this year. Joel Embiid or not, Philadelphia will play them tough, and will likely push the Celtics to six games. However, Boston’s talent level (especially with a healthy Robert Williams III) will overmatch the 76ers.

If the Celtics were to reach the conference finals for a second year in a row, the odds currently match up with them playing the Knicks or Heat. Like the 76ers, both teams pose threats. A series with the Knicks could go to seven games based on the talent and depth they possess in Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett. A series with Miami could wind up going six or seven purely because they do not fear the Celtics and know how to play them.

If the Bucks are indeed eliminated, the Celtics top competition will be out of the way, and Boston will posses home court for the remainder of all the NBA playoffs.

There should be no excuses to not reach the Finals again. Having home court, the Bucks likely out, Embiid being banged up, and overmatching the Knicks/Heat from talent alone should pave the way for the Celtics to be Eastern Conference Champions again.