The Celtics' playoff fate is in their own hands over the next 12 days

The Celtics are battling with five other teams for the final three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.  Boston plays all five of them in the next 12 days.

Here are the current East standings (beginning with the sixth-seeded Bucks), showing each club's distance from making the cut:

6 - Milwaukee 34-35, +3.5
7 - Miami 32-36, +2
8 - Boston 30-38, --
9 - Indiana 30-39, -0.5
10 - Charlotte 29-38, -0.5
11 - Brooklyn 29-39, -1

The Celtics host Detroit tonight, while the Bucks play Cleveland and the Heat visit the Thunder this afternoon.  Assuming the C's can take care of business against the Pistons, there's a very good chance Boston will be within a game of No. 7 and 2.5 of No. 6 tomorrow morning.  As I wrote last week, the sixth seed is very attainable and should be the Celtics goal. After today, here are Boston's next seven opponents:

3/23 @Brooklyn
3/25 Miami
3/27 @New York
3/29 L.A. Clippers
3/30 @Charlotte
4/1 Indiana
4/3 Milwaukee

Six of those seven are very winnable games (and who knows what could happen against the Clippers), and the Celtics have a chance to knock off each of the five teams they are in direct competition with.  They are in complete control of their own destiny.



Follow Mark Vandeusen on Twitter @LucidSportsFan