Boston Celtics First Round Playoff Schedule: Dates, Times, TV Channel

The NBA has released the dates for the Celtics first-round playoff series, with some times and outlets to be determined at the end, and an opponent to be decided Wednesday night

Apr 9, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts after hitting a three pointer during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics won’t find out who they're playing until the 7/8 game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic is decided, but we do know when the games will be played. The league announced the dates for the first-round playoff series, with some of the times and networks still to be determined. 

Here’s the schedule. 

Game 1: Sunday, April 19, at Boston, 1 p.m. (ABC)
Game 2: Tuesday, April 21, at Boston, 7 p.m. (Peacock)
Game 3: Friday, April 24, at 7th seed, 7 p.m. (Amazon Prime)
Game 4: Sunday, April 26, at 7th seed, 7 p.m. (NBC)
Game 5: Tuesday, April 28, at Boston, TBD (TBD)*
Game 6: Thursday, April 30, at 7th seed, TBD (TBD)*
Game 7: Saturday, May 2, at Boston, TBD (TBD)*
*If Necessary

The Sixers and Magic play at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night on Amazon Prime for the right to face the Celtics. The loser of the game will face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, April 17 to determine who faces the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The Hornets eliminated the Miami Heat in a wild overtime thriller on Tuesday night.

Orlando blew a chance to host the play-in game with their embarrassing loss to the end of the Celtics bench on Sunday. 

“I just think we didn’t come out with no urgency. It’s frustrating, honestly,” Magic star Paolo Banchero said after the loss. “I think we just let them back in the game and they got guys out there that can play. They got going and the crowd got going.”

The Magic are not a great road team, going just 19-20 away from home this year. The Sixers are 23-18 at home, which is good but not great. By contrast, the Celtics were 30-11 at home, one of four teams with 30 or more home wins. 

And while the Celtics have beaten the Magic three times this year, the Sixers might be the better matchup because they stylistically allow things the Celtics do well. They will also be missing Joel Embiid, who recently underwent an appendectomy. They will have Paul George, though, who played the final 10 games of the season after his suspension for using a banned substance. He averaged 21 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in those games. 

The Celtics will return to the practice floor on Wednesday to begin preparation for their first-round matchup. They have won at least 56 games every year under Joe Mazzulla.