This is the immaturity that I saw as evergreen as their unis. I thought they had shed that cloak after last season's title. The line tonight dropped from an opening -9.5 to -3.5 because of the Jayson Tatum late scratch. (God, the "Heat" had their number for awhile.)
Since 2022 the Celtics have reached 3 ECF, 2 NBA Finals and won an NBA title.
During that same span Boston has also lost the following playoff games at home:
- 2026 R1 G5 -10.5 vs PHI
- 2026 R1 G2 -13.5 vs PHI
- 2025 R2 G2 -10.5 vs NYK
- 2025 R2 G1 -8.5 vs NYK
- 2024 R2 G2 -13 vs CLE
- 2024 R1 G2 -14 vs MIA
- 2023 ECF G7 -7.5 vs MIA
- 2023 ECF G2 -10 vs MIA
- 2023 ECF G1 -8.5 vs MIA
- 2023 R2 G5 -8 vs PHI
- 2023 R2 G1 -10.5 vs PHI
- 2023 R1 G5 -13.5 vs ATL
- 2022 ECF G6 -8.5 vs MIA (Udoka)
That's 13 home playoff losses as a favorite of 7.5 or more. More than half the NBA hasn't even hosted 13 playoff games since 2022.