Boston Celtics: 5 keys to series vs. 76ers

3. Home-court advantage

Never again will I underestimate the power of home court advantage.

Two of the last three playoff series involving the Celtics have gone seven games, and the home teams have gone undefeated in both cases. This year’s team does not resemble the last, but the blueprint remains the same: a lot of rookies, a lot of role players and Al Horford.

Terry Rozier has been magnificent at home, but is hesitant to play aggressively on the road. Having an Aron Baynes or a Semi Ojeleye in the starting lineup works well in a home game because they can reliably find another hot hand. Starting them on the road makes a four-on-five offense less likely to succeed. This makes it all the more important that the Celtics defend their home court.