Nikola Vucevic excited at the potential for first deep playoff run with Boston Celtics
Center Nikola Vucevic hasn't made it past the first round of the playoffs since his rookie year. He's hoping to change that with the Boston Celtics.
BOSTON ā Center Nikola Vucevic has accomplished a lot in his 15-year NBA career. He's a former first-round pick, a two-time All-Star, and a respected big man in basketball's premier league. However, the 35-year-old has never had a legitimate shot at the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy ā until now.
Vucevic has only played in 16 playoff games in his career, and he hasn't made it past the first round since his rookie season in 2012. He only recorded 3 minutes in that Eastern Conference Semifinals series 14 years ago with the Philadelphia 76ers and they were eventually eliminated in seven games by Vucevic's current squad: the Boston Celtics. In a bit of irony, Vucevic is now preparing to take on the Sixers in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Prior to Game 1 on Sunday afternoon, he told Celtics Wire that he's happy to be participating in playoff basketball for the first time since 2022. "I'm very excited to be back in the playoffs," he said in the locker room pregame. "It's been a couple of years as a player.
That's what you always want to do, get to the playoffs, and then go from there, see how far you can go. But yes, very excited to be here. " I spoke to Nikola Vucevic pregame about being back in the playoffs after 4 years: "It's a great opportunity, and it's the first time I'm really on a team that has a chance to go deep.