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

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

The Boston Celtics have been present in the NBA Playoffs 62 times in 79 seasons while the Miami Heat did it 26 times in their 37 seasons. Between the two they total 21 of the 78 NBA championships (26.9%).

They have faced each other in 7 playoff series, 3 of them won by the Celtics and 4 by the Heat.

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 Celtics and the Heat 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
	Boston Celtics	Miami Heat
Playoff Appearances:	62 (78.5%)	26 (70.3%)
Playoffs Missed:	17 (21.5%)	11 (29.7%)
NBA Titles:	18	3
Finals Lost:	5	4
All-time Playoff Record:	429 wins 320 losses (.573)	163 wins 136 losses (.545)
Total NBA Seasons:	79 1946-47 to present	37 1988-89 to present

Teams Comparison Playoff Performances Year by Year
Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Miami Heat
2025	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2024	NBA Champions	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
	* The Celtics defeated the Heat 4-1 in the Eastern Conference First Round.
2023	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Heat defeated the Celtics 4-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2022	Lost NBA Finals	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Heat 4-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2021	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2020	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Heat defeated the Celtics 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

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

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Miami Heat
2009	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2008	NBA Champions	DNQ
2007	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2006	DNQ	NBA Champions
2005	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2004	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
2003	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	DNQ
2002	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	DNQ
2001	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2000	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference Semis

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Miami Heat
1989	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
1988	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	-
1987	Lost NBA Finals	-
1986	NBA Champions	-
1985	Lost NBA Finals	-
1984	NBA Champions	-
1983	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	-
1982	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	-
1981	NBA Champions	-
1980	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	-

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Miami Heat
1979	DNQ	-
1978	DNQ	-
1977	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	-
1976	NBA Champions	-
1975	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	-
1974	NBA Champions	-
1973	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	-
1972	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	-
1971	DNQ	-
1970	DNQ	-

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Miami Heat
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	Boston Celtics	Miami Heat
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	-