featured-image

With Series Tied 2-2, it’s Boston That Owns the Greatest Advantage

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

addByline("Marc D'Amico", "Celtics.com", "Marc_DAmico");

CLEVELAND – Home-court advantage has been the deciding factor through the first four games of the Eastern Finals.

For those who are now sleeping on Boston, here’s a friendly reminder: two of the final three games of the series are scheduled to be played inside TD Garden, where the Celtics are undefeated this postseason.

You can do the math.

In the moment, there’s no doubt that the Cleveland Cavaliers are feeling great about themselves after logging two straight convincing wins at Quicken Loans Arena. Turn on sports talk radio or television on Tuesday, and all you’ll hear is that the Cavs are rolling, and that the Celtics are done.

But rewind to a week ago, after Boston dominated the first two games of the series, and you’ll find the exact opposite scenario. It was the Celtics who were on cloud nine, and it was the Cavs who were viewed as falling into a downward spiral.

How long did that last?

The first two trips of this series have served as a prime example of “not so fast,” and that’s the beauty of a seven-game series. It isn’t won with one, two, or even three victories. It’s four wins to advance, and there will be many swings back and forth before either team gets there.

“In this deal, it's a blast to have to grit your teeth, get up off the mat and go after it again,” Brad Stevens said following Game 4. “That's part of it.”

It’s something that the Cavaliers just did, and it’s what the Celtics now must do.

Boston trounced Cleveland during the first two games of the series. It first cruised through Game 1 to a 108-83 win, and then it logged a 107-94 victory during Game 2, even while LeBron James caught fire en route to a 42-point triple-double.

Everything was clicking for the Celtics at that time. They were moving the ball, they were playing outstanding team defense, and everyone on the team was contributing.

The Cavaliers knew that as well as anyone, and that’s why they took a late, somber flight back to Cleveland following Game 2. During the ensuing three off days, the Cavs regrouped before returning to the court with renewed life for Games 3 and 4.

At Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavs looked like a completely different team. They played with heart, with confidence, and with effectiveness at both ends of the court.

Come to think of it, they looked a whole lot like Boston did back TD Garden, and no one outside of Cleveland’s locker room expected that to be the case.

The C’s, meanwhile, took a big step backward during Game 3 before finding a bit of a rhythm during the final three quarters of Game 4. They fell behind by 16 points during the first quarter and by 19 points during the first half, but they actually outscored Cleveland during each of the final three periods Monday night.

Realistically speaking, that’s far more to build off of than the Cavs had before they rattled off their consecutive victories.

“I do think that we played much better than we did on Saturday,” said Al Horford, “and we're going to learn from this game and go back home and protect our home court.”

At this point, that’s what this series is all about. The Celtics did it twice, and the Cavs did it twice. Now the Eastern Finals is effectively a three-game series.

“It's the best two out of three to go to the NBA Finals,” Stevens said after Monday's defeat. “Doesn't get better than that.”

Correction: it most certainly does.

It’s even better when two of those three games are scheduled to be played on your home court, in front of your home fans, where you have not tasted defeat in six weeks. Push selfishness aside, Celtics Nation; this is a great position in which to be.

Sure, the Cavs are riding high right now, while the Celtics are feeling down, but all it takes is one game to flip the script. Cleveland just proved that statement to be true.

It’s now the Celtics’ turn to pick each other up. Fortunately for them, they have an opportunity to do so on their own court Wednesday night inside what's sure to be a raucous TD Garden.