The Boston Celtics have punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals with an impressive 113-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of their semifinals series. This win in the best-of-seven series gave the Celtics a commanding 4-1 victory and sent them to the conference finals for the sixth time in the past eight years, keeping their championship hopes alive.

As for their upcoming opponent, the Celtics will face either the New York Knicks or the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Knicks currently hold a 3-2 series lead and will have the chance to potentially clinch a spot in the conference finals if they secure a victory in Friday's Game 6.

Regardless of the outcome, the Celtics are expected to enter the Eastern Conference finals as favorites. During the regular season, Boston showcased their dominance by winning 64 games. They had a favorable record against both the Knicks and the Pacers, winning four of the matchups against the Knicks and three out of five against the Pacers.

However, the Celtics should be cautious of the Knicks as they have recently defeated Boston in their previous meeting, winning 118-109 in a game that was more one-sided than the final score indicated. On the other hand, the Celtics and Pacers have not faced each other since January 30, with one of their five encounters taking place during the NBA's in-season tournament.

If the Knicks manage to hold off the Pacers, it would mark the 16th postseason showdown between the Celtics and the Knicks. Boston has historically had an upper hand, winning seven of those matchups, including their last encounter in the Eastern Conference finals in 1974. However, the Knicks did emerge victorious in their most recent postseason clash in 2013, defeating the Celtics in the first round.

Alternatively, if the Pacers stage a comeback and defeat the Knicks, it would be the seventh time the Celtics face the Pacers in the postseason. In their previous six playoff meetings, Boston has triumphed in four of them, including their most recent encounter in 2019 when they swept the Pacers in the first round. Notably, all six of the Celtics-Pacers playoff matchups have occurred in the first round thus far.

The start date for the Eastern Conference finals depends on the outcomes of the Nuggets-Timberwolves game on Thursday and the Knicks-Pacers game on Friday. Should either the Timberwolves or Pacers emerge victorious, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals will take place on Tuesday, May 21. However, if the Nuggets and Knicks secure their respective Game 6 wins, the Eastern Conference finals will commence on Sunday, May 19.

Apart from Game 1, most of the dates for the Eastern Conference finals have been predetermined. If necessary, a potential Game 7 would be held on June 2, giving fans a thrilling conclusion to the series.

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