Cavaliers vs. Celtics Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year

Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been present in the NBA Playoffs 25 times in 55 seasons while the Boston Celtics did it 62 times in their 79 seasons. Between the two they total 19 of the 78 NBA championships (24.4%).

They have faced each other in 9 playoff series, 4 of them won by the Cavaliers and 5 by the Celtics.

On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the Cavaliers and the Celtics advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.

Summary of Their Playoff History
	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
Playoff Appearances:	25 (45.5%)	62 (78.5%)
Playoffs Missed:	30 (54.5%)	17 (21.5%)
NBA Titles:	1	18
Finals Lost:	4	5
All-time Playoff Record:	136 wins 119 losses (.533)	429 wins 320 losses (.573)
Total NBA Seasons:	55 1970-71 to present	79 1946-47 to present

Teams Comparison Playoff Performances Year by Year
Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
2025	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
2024	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	NBA Champions
	* The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
2023	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2022	DNQ (lost Play-in)	Lost NBA Finals
2021	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2020	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals

Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
2019	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
2018	Lost NBA Finals	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
	* The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 4-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2017	Lost NBA Finals	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
	* The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2016	NBA Champions	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2015	Lost NBA Finals	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
	* The Cavaliers defeated the Celtics 4-0 in the Eastern Conference First Round.
2014	DNQ	DNQ
2013	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2012	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2011	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
2010	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
2009	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
2008	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	NBA Champions
	* The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 4-3 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
2007	Lost NBA Finals	DNQ
2006	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	DNQ
2005	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2004	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2003	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
2002	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2001	DNQ	DNQ
2000	DNQ	DNQ

Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
1989	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
1988	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1987	DNQ	Lost NBA Finals
1986	DNQ	NBA Champions
1985	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 3-1 in the Eastern Conference First Round.
1984	DNQ	NBA Champions
1983	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
1982	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1981	DNQ	NBA Champions
1980	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals

Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
1979	DNQ	DNQ
1978	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
1977	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
1976	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	NBA Champions
	* The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
1975	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1974	DNQ	NBA Champions
1973	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1972	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1971	DNQ	DNQ
1970	-	DNQ

Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
1969	-	NBA Champions
1968	-	NBA Champions
1967	-	Lost Eastern Division Finals
1966	-	NBA Champions
1965	-	NBA Champions
1964	-	NBA Champions
1963	-	NBA Champions
1962	-	NBA Champions
1961	-	NBA Champions
1960	-	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Cleveland Cavaliers	Boston Celtics
1959	-	NBA Champions
1958	-	Lost NBA Finals
1957	-	NBA Champions
1956	-	Lost Eastern Division Semis
1955	-	Lost Eastern Division Finals
1954	-	Lost Eastern Division Finals
1953	-	Lost Eastern Division Finals
1952	-	Lost Eastern Division Semis
1951	-	Lost Eastern Division Semis
1950	-	DNQ