Key: Travel disadvantage?

[drza44]

The Celtics were blown out in game 3 against the Cavs, only to come back and win game 4 (both games in Boston).  We were also blown out in game 5 against the Magic in Orlando, only to come back and win game 6 back home.  Finally, we were semi-blown out in game 1 against the Lakers, only to come back and win game 2 (both games in LA).

Those that are familiar with my posts know that I like looking for patterns, but really, what is the pattern here?  It's not home vs away, as all three were different situations.  But I read in passing earlier today that one of the commonalities for our two biggest blowouts was travel...and that set off alarms.

If you go through this year's playoffs, you'll see that in the first game played in a new location the Celtics are only 7 - 6 with a margin of -0.9.  On the other hand, when one game is played in the same location as the previous game (be it home or away), the Celtics are 8 - 2 with a margin of +7.8.

Against the Lakers in this series, it is even more extreme.  The Celtics are 0 - 3 with a margin of -14 in the three travel games, and 3 - 0 with a margin of +7.3 in the three "stay" games.

And this is a case where statistics really do make logical sense.  Everyone talks about how the Cs are an older, veteran team full of aches and pains.  Well, as anyone who has ever traveled with a sore limb can attend to, it is HARD.  The injured area hurts more, stiffens up more, and just basically doesn't work the way you want it to for awhile.  And LA is by far the furthest the Celtics have had to fly this postseason (in both directions), so if the travel is bothering them you would expect it to show up in the first game after the travel.

:Shrugs: By tomorrow night analysis like this will be made moot as the team will just have to go get it.  But for an interminable off-day, I thought this was an interesting finding with possible relevance for what we might expect on the morrow.

[Hoops]

I'll give you a TP for that interesting insight. You're right that it doesn't necessarily mean the Celtics will win...BUT, it does pour a little extra water into my half-full glass.

[dksidey]

Good analysis. I noticed that our team tends to play badly after a long travel session, but didn't have the stats to back it up. TP.

[Mr October]

TP. I was noticing this too, yet never dug into it. I feel good about game 7.

[Rondo2287]

Great analysis, TP

[KGs Knee]

I noticed this trend too, I just wasn't sure on the exact stats.  The strangest part has been that both of our losses when playing at the same venue as our previous game were when we had chances to sweep.  Once away at Miami, and once at home against Orlando.  As an aside, the only team we beat on our first attempt at ending the series was Cleveland and we all know Cleveland basically just gave up.

Do I think this trend will mean anything come Thursday?  Probably not too much.  There are a lot of other variables at play in this particular situation.  The biggest being we haven't closed out any series on the road in these playoffs.  We are actually 0-3 when it comes to closing out a series on the road.  Then again this is our first time getting two attempts to close out on the road.

In the end I think the only thing that matters is the amount of energy and focus the Celtics play with.  These playoffs have shown one trend that overrides all.  When the Celtics play with the intensity that other teams just can't match, they win.  Every time.