The Eastern and Western Conference Finals are in full swing and for the 2nd straight season, the Celtics are not participating. That is the first time that has happened in consecutive seasons since 2015 and 2016.
NBA Final Four History (Conference Finalists Since 2017) pic.twitter.com/TIl5DnveHv
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 18, 2026
That is a lot of Celtics logos.
I decided to look back at those series, how the Celtics got there and what we were feeling as fans afterwards.
2017: Cavaliers 4, Celtics 1
After the Celtics beat the Bulls and
Wizards to advance to the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals (long live the Kelly Olynyk Game) they were set up to play LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The series started and it became very clear that the Celtics were just overmatched by the Cavaliers. After losing Game 1 by 13 points, Cleveland humiliated Boston by 44 points in Game 2, 130-86.
Isaiah Thomas would miss the final three games of the series. After he led the Celtics all the way to the conference finals with his huge scoring games and clutch 4th quarters, this series made it clear the Celtics had a ceiling on them with Thomas as their best player.
The Celtics would comeback from 21 points down and win Game 3 behind 27 points from Marcus Smart, 20 points from Avery Bradley and a perfect 4/4 shooting from Jonas Jerebko. It was Bradley’s game winner that won the day for Boston.
— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) May 20, 2026
42 points from Kyrie Irving in Game 4 would put Cleveland up 3-1 and Boston’s season would end with a 33-point loss on their home floor. The 2017 Eastern Conference Finals was a sour ending to a great season. The Isaiah Thomas led-Celtics are fondly remembered by all but at the end of the day, it became clear that Boston just could not compete with the best the NBA had to offer with the roster they had.
2018: Cavaliers 4, Celtics 3
Nothing like reliving a Game 7 loss at TD Garden.
After big offseason additions Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving were both lost for the season due to injuries, many doubted the Celtics ability to make a deep playoff run. Then, the playoffs started and after the Celtics took out the Bucks in 7 and the 76ers in 5, it was clear that this Celtics group needed to stop being underestimated.
Double digit wins in Games 1 and 2 proved that this group was ready to make the Finals. 23 points from Jaylen Brown in both contests played a big part in Boston taking a 2-0 series lead.
Then the series shifted back to Cleveland and a 30-point Cavaliers win had Cleveland right back in the series. The Celtics battled hard in Game 4 but just couldn’t break through as LeBron’s 42 points evened the series at two games apiece.
After a Game 5 Celtics win behind 24 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists from Jayson Tatum, the Cavaliers would force a Game 7 back in Boston behind 46 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists from James in Game 6.
Another Game 7 masterpiece from LeBron James hurts, but the Celtics lost that Game 7 because Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Marcus Morris combined for 12/56 (21%) from the field and 5/32 (16% from three). That game is remembered for the Tatum dunk on LeBron, but the Celtics lost the game and only scored 79 points in the process.
In case it wasn’t clear, this game still bothers me.
There was a lot of hope after this series. Sure the Celtics lost, but LeBron had went west to the Lakers and the Celtics had Irving and Hayward returning to a team that was a win away from the Finals. We know what happened next.
2020: Heat 4, Celtics 2
After the disaster 2018-19 season, the Celtics roster saw a lot of turnover, losing a bunch of key players from the 2018 team while signing Kemba Walker to a max contract.
After the 2019-20 season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA resumed their season in the Orlando bubble where they would also host the playoffs. After sweeping the Sixers in Round 1 and winning a classic seven-game series against the Raptors in Round 2, Boston was set to face off against the Miami Heat in the conference finals.
Game 1 was a a tough one for the Celtics in which they blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. Tatum had a look to win it at the end of regulation, but it came up short. The play that defined this series came in overtime as Bam Adebayo blocked Tatum’s dunk attempt that would have tied the game and Miami took a 1-0 series lead.
The Celtics couldn’t muster enough offense in Game 2 and fell behind 2-0. Game 3 saw the return of Gordon Hayward who had been out a month with a sprained ankle missing all but one playoff game in the process. The Celtics would win that game behind 25 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists from Jayson Tatum, but Game 4 was where Boston officially watched their season slip away.
37 points from rookie Tyler Herro along with 20+ for Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic put Miami up 3-1. The Celtics fought to try and steal the game but they ran out of time, losing 112-109. Boston would win Game 5 forcing a Game 6, but that is where the Celtics season ended as 32 Adebayo points and 22 Butler points beat Boston.
The 2020 season hurts because I do believe that the Celtics had a legit shot to win the title. Not saying they would have beaten the Lakers — in fact, I would say they probably would have lost that series — but the 2020 Celtics were really good and had a real shot to win that title.
2022: Celtics 4, Heat 3
The 2021-22 season got off to a nightmare start for the Celtics as they started 18-21. They then flipped the season around finishing 51-31 and 2nd in the East. After sweeping the Nets and winning a seven-game slugfest against the Bucks. Boston met the Heat in the conference final again.
Game 1 was a Miami win that saw Jimmy Butler score 41 points. That was followed by Game 2 which was a dominant Celtics win by 25 points.
Then, the series shifted back to Boston for Game 3 and the Celtics lost a heartbreaker in which Butler left the game and Jaylen Brown scored 40 points. It was a game the Celtics should have won but they lost (how many of those have we seen?) However, it did produce my favorite Marcus Smart moment.
Paul Pierce Moment ☘️https://t.co/izNGQisdmH
— ☘️ – Jays Enthusiast (@gReenbean_26) June 23, 2023
Games 4 and 5 both saw dominant Celtics wins in which they won by double digits in each game. Game 4 saw the Celtics take a 18-1 lead and never look back. A thunderous Jaylen Brown dunk in Game 5 all but put the Heat away and gave the Celtics a 3-2 lead.
Game 6 felt like a formality that the Celtics would head to the Finals. Then, Jimmy Butler had his 2012 Game 6 LeBron moment, scoring 48 points along with 9 boards and 8 dimes to drag the Heat to a 111-103 win to force a Game 7 back in Miami.
Game 7 was a game to remember. The Celtics led wire to wire and had a 95-85 lead with 4:28 to go after a Tatum midrange shot put them up 10. That was the last field goal the Celtics would score in the game and the Heat had the ball, down 2 with 17 seconds left when Jimmy Butler missed a pull up three that we all remember. The Celtics got the rebound, made two free throws and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.
— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) May 21, 2026
The Celtics would lose the Finals in a series that still hurts to this day. However, just like LeBron did in 2018, Stephen Curry had his greatest NBA moment and sometimes, one of the greatest players of all time has his greatest moment to beat you.
2023: Heat 4, Celtics 3
After an annoying first round series that went 6 games against the Hawks and a 7 game slug feast against the 76ers in which Tatum scored 51 points in Game 7, the Celtics once again faced off against the Miami Heat for the 3rd time in 4 years.
This one was especially shocking because Miami was the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.
i cannot believe it's miami again
— jack (@janderson22_) May 15, 2023
Games 1 and 2 were both gut wrenching losses for the Celtics. Game 1 was doomed by a 3rd quarter in which Miami scored 46 points and outscored the Celtics by 21. Game 2 was a gut punch where the Celtics led by 12 in the 4th quarter and again, the game slipped away. Jayson Tatum was a +5 in a game he played 42 minutes and the Celtics lost by 6.
Down 0-2 the Celtics were embarrassed in Game 3, losing 128-102 and it felt like they quit. Then, the Celtics won Game 4 behind 33 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists from Jayson Tatum. They also won Game 5, holding the Heat under 100 points for the 2nd straight game and the series was all the sudden 3-2.
Game 6 was very similar to Game 7 of the 2022 season. The Celtics were up 10 with under 5 minutes to go and couldn’t make a basket. A big difference was that the Heat did take the lead, going up 103-102 with 3 seconds left after Jimmy Butler made three free throws. Then, Derrick White saved the day and forced a Game 7.
You know how this ended: another Game 7 loss at home. Jayson Tatum sprained his ankle under 30 seconds int0 the game and Jaylen Brown had 8 turnovers as the Celtics lost. That series will always be remembered as the Caleb Martin series when he shot 60% from the field and 49% from three.
To me, this is the worst conference finals loss the Celtics have had in this era. Denver did roll Miami and maybe they would have rolled the Celtics, but the Celtics absolutely let a title chance slip away by falling back 3-0.
2024: Celtics 4, Pacers 0
The 2024 Boston Celtics rolled their way to the Eastern Conference Finals with 64 regular season wins and going 8-2 in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs.
The series started and the Indiana Pacers looked up for the challenge. It looked like Indiana had Game 1 in hand with under a minute to go as they were up 3 with the ball. Then a turnover gave Boston a chance and Jaylen Brown took advantage.
In overtime, it was a Tatum three that was the dagger as his 36 points led the way to the Celtics win. Game 2 belonged to Brown, he scored 40 points as the Celtics took the commanding 2-0 series lead.
As the series shifted back to Indiana, the Pacers led for most of the 2nd half but then the game flipped as the Celtics as an Al Horford three (0ff of a sweet JT behind the back pass) and a Jrue Holiday and-1 put the Celtics up one before a sweet Holiday and made free throws put the Celtics up three.
— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) May 21, 2026
The Pacers missed a game tying three at the end of the game and the Celtics went up 3-0. In Game 4 it was 29 points from Jaylen Brown, 26 points from Jayson Tatum and a Derrick White dagger that sent Boston to their 2nd NBA Finals in three years.
— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) May 21, 2026
That season ended pretty well for the Celtics as they would go on to win their first championship since 2008.
