Author Topic: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?  (Read 5774 times)

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Offline Drucci

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Now that we're up 2-0 and need to win at least 1 of 2 games in Cleveland to get a stranglehold on the series, a recurring theme from these playoffs is back : that this Celtics team isn't playing well on the road. See Brian Windhorst's latest article :

Quote
Calling a playoff series over too early is a classic mistake. Simply assuming the Celtics, who haven't played well on the road in the postseason and still have some weaknesses that can catch them, will win two of the next five games is dangerous.

We definitely tend to play better at home than on the road (as our 9-0 record shows) but I feel like this narrative was true against Milwaukee and not so much since. We lost all our road games in the Milwaukee series but if you remember, except for game 3 where we were blown out from wire to wire, we made a huge comeback in game 4 and had a chance to win the game in the closing minutes (and lost by 2 points).

In game 6, we lost by 10 but again, we hung around for most of the game. And then in the Philly series we won game 3 (which could easily have gone either way) and lost game 4 by a little margin but we all know how the refs played this outrageous game.

So what I'm saying is :
- after one terrible game in Milwaukee and not so stellar performances in that series, we've continually improved our play on the road and basically played close games every time since game 4 against the Bucks;
- I know the Cavs and Celtics are very different from last year's teams but we did win on an AB game winner last year so the confidence that we can win in the Q is there (especially for the returning guys such as Marcus, JB and Horford).
- The Cavs have been far from unbeatable at home. They lost game 1 against Indiana and had to pull it out at the end of game 7, and even the freakin' Raptors nearly won game 3 (but LeBron saved Cleveland with a tough game winner).
- The Celtics are already locked in on game 3, know what to expect from the hostile crowd and how a win would be huge. They are also fully aware that they have "only" protected homecourt as they were expect to if they want to win the series.

Are you confident about our road games in this series ?

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2018, 06:29:28 AM »

Offline Moranis

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Boston is 1-4 on the road and 9-0 at home.  That seems to speak for itself.
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Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2018, 06:38:28 AM »

Offline iadera

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We have to start from the perspective that this team is rising since the Bucks series and getting better and better, so I just don't see any reason why we would not take one game in Cleveland.

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2018, 06:43:02 AM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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Quote
Now that we're up 2-0 and need to win at least 1 of 2 games in Cleveland to get a stranglehold on the series

If we win one in CLE it's going to be over, soon.  It will be hard but face it, these guys have defied expectations game after game.

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2018, 11:17:33 PM »

Offline SparzWizard

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A difference between being up 3-0, and losing Game 3 but winning Game 4 to be up 3-1.

I do not want the Celtics to become the next infamous victim of a blowing a 3-1 series lead. LeBron James has been down 3-1 in a championship game before, before winning a Game 7 on the road.

The Celtics need to go for the kill in Game 3. Treat it like a Game 7.


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Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2018, 11:21:10 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

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Boston is 1-4 on the road and 9-0 at home.  That seems to speak for itself.

Pretty much how I see it. I don't think they're necessarily as bad on the road as their playoff road record indicates, but they've definitely been playing much worse on the road than at home, and all those bandwagon fans in Cleveland are gonna be pretty loud. It'll be tough to win one there, but I think they can do it.
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Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2018, 11:32:09 PM »

Offline vjcsmoke

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So far in the playoffs, it is true that the Celtics have been bad on the road.  1-4 is not a good percentage.

HOWEVER, during the regular season the Celtics were 27-14 at home and 28-13 away.  So over the course of 82 games, the Celtics were actually equally good on the road.

The Celtics can definitely steal one on the road.  If they can win game 3, this series is effectively over.  There are still a TON of mediot doubters - in particular shannon sharpe and skip bayless.  So, I'm really hoping the Celtics can steal 1 on the road on Saturday and really silence those loudmouths!

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2018, 12:20:13 AM »

Offline SCeltic34

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We couldn't win on the road in 2008 either.  Until we did.

We also won 8 on 5 on the road against Philly in game 3.  Our overall road record may be 1-4, but that's not necessarily predictive of future performance.

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2018, 01:30:09 AM »

Offline Beat LA

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I just hope that the Celtics are listening to all of this crap.

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2018, 01:42:02 AM »

Offline CroCorvus

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Boston is 1-4 on the road and 9-0 at home.  That seems to speak for itself.

Pretty much how I see it. I don't think they're necessarily as bad on the road as their playoff road record indicates, but they've definitely been playing much worse on the road than at home, and all those bandwagon fans in Cleveland are gonna be pretty loud. It'll be tough to win one there, but I think they can do it.

Kinda agree and disagree. It is a fact that we lost four out of five on the road, but we also could have been winning two games if it wasn't that no call on Brown in Milwaukee or that infamous Foster-Brothers game in Philly. I think we'll be alright.

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2018, 01:52:09 AM »

Offline GreenEnvy

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It’s an easy storyline to sell the masses.

I recall the 2008 Celtics who were 0-6 on the road when they lost home court to Detroit. They went into Detroit and took it right back in Game 3 (and ultimately closed out in Detroit). They also had that epic win IN LA.

New teams need to learn how to win on the road and I think they came out and played like a young team in game 3 in Milwaukee. Game 4 was a huge stepping stone and they just missed pulling it out. They got outplayed in Game 6, no excuses.

But against Philly? How can anyone say that wasn’t a great road win, a demoralizing buzzer beater to send to OT and then fall behind what, 5 points quick? They showed their mettle and proved they can do what they need to.

These kids are gaining confidence each and every game and Cleveland hasn’t exactly been lights-out at home sans that quit-job by Toronto in Game 4 last round.

I really want a win in Game 3 to see all the emptiness in reporting from all these sad souls. What will they have to fall back on for Game 4? Gilbert, Lue, Altman, 2-15, everyone is getting blamed. But will LeBron?
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Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2018, 02:04:51 AM »

Offline MattyIce

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I just hope that the Celtics are listening to all of this crap.

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/997176837200596993?s=21

Jaylen Brown is asked what he thinks of the national media’s general perception that we can’t play well on the road. “My reaction is that I can’t wait for Game 3. I’ll leave it at that.”

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2018, 03:24:02 AM »

Offline TheSundanceKid

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Boston is 1-4 on the road and 9-0 at home.  That seems to speak for itself.

Exactly, they speak for themselves. The sample sizes are tiny and close to meaningless. What is not meaningless is the story this team has built all year long that slowly but surely the mainstream media is coming around to.

It is a false narrative but that always happens in the playoffs. The talking heads need something to talks about otherwise what would they do! No doubt in my mind Game 3 is a fight, the Cleveland shooters should pick it up in Game 3 on their home court. But I bet we find a way to win through it, just like we have all year (a proper sample size)

Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2018, 03:31:56 AM »

Offline gouki88

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I just hope that the Celtics are listening to all of this crap.

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/997176837200596993?s=21

Jaylen Brown is asked what he thinks of the national media’s general perception that we can’t play well on the road. “My reaction is that I can’t wait for Game 3. I’ll leave it at that.”
Love how he's stepped up this postseason especially
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Re: "These Celtics are bad on the road" : now a false narrative ?
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2018, 04:26:40 AM »

Offline pokeKingCurtis

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I just hope that the Celtics are listening to all of this crap.

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/997176837200596993?s=21

Jaylen Brown is asked what he thinks of the national media’s general perception that we can’t play well on the road. “My reaction is that I can’t wait for Game 3. I’ll leave it at that.”

He knows how to talk smack.