Celtics must overcome home-court disadvantage to stay alive

Boston is 4-5 at home in TD Garden in these playoffs, and 5-3 on the road. The home-court disadvantage has been in place for the last two years. Last year, Boston was 6-6 at home, including losses in Games 4 and 6 of the NBA Finals, and 7-4 on the road, including a Game 7 road victory in Miami. Both times they've had a Game 5 at home this postseason, they've lost.

When did these home playoff struggles start? You need to go back to Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, a year where Boston was a perfect 10-0 at home going into the deciding game.

Then, LeBron James happened.

James played every minute of the Cavaliers' 87-79 victory in front of the hostile Boston crowd, scoring 35 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. The game may have traumatized a generation of Boston fans, especially after James beat them in all three conference finals games in Boston the year before as well.

Since then, Boston is just 13-14 at home in the playoffs. Outside of the first round, where Boston has three sweeps, it's even worse. They're 5-12 since 2018 in playoff home games outside the first round.

It's also only a playoff phenomenon. Boston was 32-9 at home this year, and 28-13 at TD Garden last year in the regular season.

Perhaps it's that the passion of Celtics fans can backfire in big moments. Like when they booed their own players during last year's Finals.

Perhaps players are stressed out by the traffic in Boston, which a recent study called the fourth-worst in the world. Perhaps seeing Jack Harlow sitting courtside bums them out.

Whatever the reason, the Celtics need to work out their issues playing at home as soon as possible - or they'll be going home for the summer.