Yeah, you came off that notion when? When the Celtics destroyed the Pacers in Indiana? And yet if C’s somehow lost both games after and Indy won both to grab the 4-seed, you’d still think that? Interesting logic, I guess (you know, considering we lost on a buzzer beater to Oladipo and completely outplayed them in the other in our two games there). So I take it you’re now going with C’s in 7 against Indy?
I think I made it pretty clear that homecourt advantage is what sways my thinking on who will win the series.
I'm expecting the series to go 6 or 7.
As I said, we have months of evidence that this team can't be trusted, and much less evidence that the team is going to come out and blow the doors off an opponent that is lesser than them in talent.
The Celts played at around a .500 pace for much of the season.
Again, even suggesting the C’s could win in six games ruins the theory they NEED home court to win this, as even you can envision them closing out IN Indiana.
Celtics lose on buzzer beater by Indy’s best player and win in pretty dominating fashion, but absolutely need HCA to get past a team without said best player? Yes, because the Celtics got spanked in Milwaukee back in December without Horford, Baynes, and Morris... they are clearly a bad road team. Losing to the Nets without Kyrie and Al two weeks ago means anything against Indiana?
Like I said, it was possible after the thrashing last week in Indy that we still didn’t get HCA, but after clearly seeing us capable of winning there, there wouldn’t be any reason to be all that worried.
There is literally no valid reasoning why this should be a very tough series. Sure you can cite about our stretches of mediocrity throughout a long season (let’s ignore their great stretches where they’ve proven they could beat anyone, anywhere), but you have to look at the opponent. Indiana just isn’t all that good without Oladipo, which you are clearly ignoring.
Yes, even a great team can struggle against a poor one (we all saw that in 2008), but there is zero logic behind expecting this to be difficult for the Celtics, even without Smart.
Home court will not decide this series, plain and simple.