The Boston Celtics will start their climb in direction of Banner 18 on Sunday afternoon once they host a thriller opponent (thanks lots, Play-In Event) at 1 p.m.
Regardless if it’s the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Warmth, Chicago Bulls, or Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics must get their $#@% collectively and begin the collection off with a win at house.
Wins at TD Backyard have eluded the Cs over the previous two postseasons. Of their 2022 NBA Finals run, they went a mixed 6-6 at house. A 12 months later, they managed to regress, successful simply 5 of 11 video games in Boston. When you neglect first-round video games, their file over that two-year span is 7-11 on the parquet.
Of the groups which have performed greater than 10 house playoff video games since 2022, Boston stands alone having a dropping file.
The Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Warmth, and even the Sixers have a constructive file in their very own constructing.
Photograph by Chris Marion/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
To make issues worse, lots of these losses have are available enormous spots. The Celtics dropped the next key video games whereas taking part in on their house flooring:
2022 Japanese Convention Semifinals Recreation 1 vs. Milwaukee (fell behind 0-1)
2022 Japanese Convention Semifinals Recreation 5 vs. Milwaukee (fell behind 2-3)
2022 Japanese Convention Finals Recreation 3 vs. Miami (fell behind 1-2)
2022 Japanese Convention Finals Recreation 6 vs. Miami (failed to shut out Warmth)
2022 NBA Finals vs. Golden State Recreation 4 (did not take 3-1 lead)
2022 NBA Finals vs. Golden State Recreation 6 (lose Finals 2-4)
2023 Japanese Convention Semifinals Recreation 1 vs. Philadelphia (fell behind 0-1 to Joel Embiid-less 76ers)
2023 Japanese Convention Semifinals Recreation 5 vs. Philadelphia (fell behind 2-3)
2023 Japanese Convention Finals Recreation 1 vs. Miami (fell behind 0-1)
2023 Japanese Convention Finals Recreation 2 vs. Miami (fell behind 0-2)
2023 Japanese Convention Finals Recreation 7 vs Miami (Lose collection 3-4)
Taking part in at house isn’t going to ensure victory within the playoffs. However, the truth that the record of brutal losses at TD Backyard is that lengthy in only a two-year span is unacceptable.
In a 12 months the place the expectations are increased than ever, Boston can’t afford to let groups come into their constructing and win anymore, they simply can’t.
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They’ve finished an amazing job of defending house court docket all through the 2023-24 season, dropping solely 4 video games at TD Backyard all 12 months. Solely a type of losses (April 11 in opposition to the New York Knicks, the place many have speculated that the Cs weren’t engaged within the slightest) got here in opposition to an Japanese Convention opponent.
Not solely has Boston gained their house video games, however they’ve dominated. Their common level differential on the Backyard this 12 months is +15.2.
To place that in perspective, that they had a +10 level differential final season once they went 32-9 at house, and a +7 in 2022, the place they logged a 28-13 file on the parquet.
Regardless of their atrocious, borderline embarrassing, postseason file in entrance of the Backyard devoted, the Celtics have nonetheless managed to make runs deep into the playoffs.
Had they simply gained their house video games, they may very nicely be a chance to three-peat this season.
Once more, this season’s workforce has been unbelievably good, not solely at house however total. If there’s any group that may make TD Backyard a postseason fortress once more, it’s them.
