The race for the No. 1 seed in the East was expected to be put to rest weeks ago, especially once the Cleveland Cavaliers reeled off a 16-game winning streak, improving to 56-10 on March 14. Since then, the Cavs have dropped five of their eight games while the Celtics keep on winning. Boston secured their eighth straight victory on Saturday night with a 121-111 victory over the Spurs, improving to 5-0 on their road trip.

The victory pulled the Celtics within four games of the Cavaliers in the race for the No. 1 seed with eight games left in the regular season. It still remains a long shot for Boston to catch the Cavs in the standings but a closer look at the schedule indicates that the gap may get tighter in a matter of days.

The Cavs play seven of their final eight games against teams that are battling for a playoff spot or seeding, beginning on Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Clippers. That’s a sharp contrast to a Celtics schedule that only has two opponents remain above .500. A shorthanded Knicks squad that has been dominated all year long by Boston and a Grizzlies team that just fired their coach and have lost four straight.

After going 13-1 in the month of March, it’s not inconceivable that Boston wins out here with the way they’re playing right now. They can still win all these games while mixing in necessary rest for their regulars, something they’ve continuously done during their current eight-game winning streak.

Boston has no need to chase the Cavs regardless, they are going to prioritize health over seeding, the wise move for a team that has been historically great on the road this year (31-7). However, making the Cavs sweat a little bit heading into the final two weeks of the season wouldn’t be a bad thing at all for Boston. It’s highly conceivable that the Cavs could lose their next two games (Clippers, Knicks) with how they’ve been playing of late, which could suddenly put Boston within striking distance.

The odds are still very long of the Celtics pulling off the improbable rally but the fact that the Celtics are peaking at the right time heading into a postseason run bodes well for their chances against a higher level of competition.

“Control what we can control,” Jayson Tatum told reporters in San Antonio. “[We’re] following the gameplan and whatever we’re trying to attack or achieve that night. We’re challenging ourselves right now.”

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