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Living the Playoffs: History Against the Celtics
Posted by Rick Kamla

taken from http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=580005206



Lift your heads, Celtics, at least you have homecourt advantage.
-- Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images

The question is no longer: “When are the Celtics going to win a road game?”

Now the question is: “Can the Celtics win it all without winning a road game?

And the question then becomes, has anyone ever won an NBA championship without at least one road win? After checking with Elias Sports Bureau, the answer is no.

In the history of NBA basketball, only three teams have won the championship with one road win, and that hasn’t happened since 1964. Do the math, that’s 44 years ago, and coincidentally enough, it was the Celtics who pulled it off. [If you’re ever on “Jeopardy” and this question arises, here are those one-road wonders: 1954 Syracuse Nationals, 1955 Philadelphia Warriors, and 1964 Boston Celtics.]

But wait, there’s more history working against these Celtics, who accomplished the greatest one-season turnaround the NBA has ever seen. Going from 24 wins in 06-07 to 66 wins in 07-08 is a freakish feat, but in the end it means very little if the Celtics don’t win a championship.

Since 2003, when the NBA went back to a best-of-seven format in the first round, no team taken to a Game 7 in the opening round has made The Finals. Yes, that nugget is classified under contemporary history, but the song remains the same.

Also, the Celtics now stand as the winningest regular season team to make it this far in the playoffs despite losing its first five road games. In other words, no matter how good you were in the regular season, pitching a shutout on the road in the playoffs is a death knell.

Based on NBA history, the Celtics should be dead right now—or at least on the ropes, but because of their 6-0 home record in these playoffs, the Cs are tied at two games apiece in the second round against the reigning Eastern Conference Champs with Game 5, and Game 7 if necessary, in Boston. As such, the Celtics and their fans should feel fortunate to be alive and…well…are they well?

I think we’d all agree that the Celtics will achieve alive-and-well status when they finally get the gorilla off their back and win a road game. It’s ironic, but if the Celtics can’t solve the riddle of the road, their title dreams will inevitably crumble on their home floor at some point.

Come to think about it, there’s a lot of irony swirling around Boston these days.

For example, starting the playoffs 0-5 on the road after posting a league-best 31 road wins during the regular season. And don’t forget about the history made by the Celtics in Texas, when they swept the dreaded “Texas Triangle” for the first time since 2001.

You’ve probably seen these numbers on NBA TV, but here they are in case you haven’t. The Celtics are surrendering 75.5 ppg in six home games as opposed to 99.6 ppg in five road games.

Here’s the problem. At home, Boston defends like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves with Garnett playing the role of Alpha Male (pun, and irony, intended). On the road, the Celtics resemble a suburban house dog that’s all bark and no bite.

I’m not questioning the Celtics’ effort or preparation or anything like that. This team is loaded with talented warriors who are still growing together as a playoff entity. I get that. What I’m questioning is why the Celtics keep forgetting to pack their trademark D along with their Armani suits when they travel.

Doc Rivers is questioning his team’s ability in the clutch, telling reporters after the Game 4 loss: “We have to play better under stress”.

Let’s cut to the chase. As the Defensive Player of the Year, MVP candidate, ALL-NBA First-Teamer, highest-paid player, and emotional catalyst of the Celtics, it’s on Garnett to lead his men to victory on the road.

Trouble is, it’s not really in his character to be a big-time closer like Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, Manu, or Wade. With the notable exception of KG’s epic Game 7 against Sacramento in 2004, he was not known for willing his team to postseason victories in Minnesota.

So then you say, what about Paul Pierce? I was convinced that Pierce would step up in the playoffs and be that big-time closer for Boston, but it hasn’t worked out that way.

Through four games against Cleveland, Pierce is averaging 12.5 points on 35 percent shooting. For the playoffs, Pierce is averaging 16 ppg on 41 percent after posting 19.6 ppg on 46 percent in the regular season.

And don’t look to Ray Allen to be the savior. He was limited to 25 points on 8-of-22 from the field in the two games at Cleveland. Ray-Ray’s going to the Hall of Fame one day, but he’s been very ordinary in these playoffs, averaging 14 points on 40 percent from the floor.

After watching LeBron’s dagger dunk on the DPOY, I want to say the Cavaliers have the advantage heading back to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday night. But I can’t give Cleveland the edge because I don’t trust LeBron’s supporting cast to bring their offensive games with them to Boston.

Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and Daniel Gibson shot a combined 29 percent from the field in the first two games in Boston, where the Cavs didn’t even sniff 80 points.

Freaks, the only way Cleveland wins Game 5—or Game 7—is if LeBron morphs into The Incredible Hulk like he did in Game 5 against Detroit last year.

Alas, short of a comic book becoming reality, the Celtics will continue holding serve at home and move onto the Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit—which is the playoff series we’ve all been craving since November.