Boston Celtics: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 season
By Kane Pitman
3. Can Boston carry home playoff dominance into regular season?
Fueling the Celtics’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals was a stellar run of play at what became a fortress at the TD Garden. Boston reeled off 10 straight wins at home, before unfortunately dropping Game 7 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, spelling the end of their unexpected playoff charge.
The home-court dominance shouldn’t have been predicted, as they were far from automatic on the parquet floor during the regular season – by contender standards, that is.
Possessing a 27-14 record at home last season, they were actually better on the road, where they won 28 of their 41 contests. The TD Garden record left the C’s with the lowest amount of wins among the six teams to crack the 50-win plateau on the year.
Disappointing losses at home included dropping games to the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers and Detroit Pistons.
The last time the Celtics won ten straight home playoff games was in the 1986 and 1987 playoff series. That roster had Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) May 25, 2018
They now have two guys under 21 in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Terry Rozier. Ridiculous.
The Celtics still managed to secure home-court through the Eastern Conference playoffs, but that was only by virtue of LeBron James owning significant land in the Toronto Raptors’ head. With those Raptors, the Sixers, Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks looking to battle for home-court advantage, securing the best possible record during the regular season will be pivotal.
As good as Brad Stevens’ squad was at home during the postseason, they were equally as vulnerable on the road, posting a 1-7 mark when they ventured away from the Garden. The losses weren’t particularly close either, coming with an average losing margin of 13.8 points and the one win coming in overtime after a Philly employee laid the jinx on the Sixers by letting confetti fall from the rafters prematurely.
Continued excellence on the road will be a bonus, but pushing the home win total into the low 30s should ensure they secure themselves a top-two seed, and give themselves the best chance possible to navigate through the Eastern Conference playoffs.