Celtics Looking To Reverse Game 7 Trend

The Celtics have been terrible at closing teams out when they have an advantage. However, for the most part they've had success finishing things off in Boston.

Celtics feel better at home closing out series - BostonHerald.com

Though Wednesday night’s Game 6 loss to Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference semifinals dropped their record to 2-11 in the last five years in close out playoff games on the road, their home closeout number is very different. The Celts are 8-2 when given that opportunity at the Garden.

With that said, the last two game 7's the Celtics have had (one of which was on the road) didn't go so well. Read on if you can stomach it.

The pressure of the expectations of winning Game 7 at home already is weighing on the Celtics.

In the [2009] conference semifinals, the Celtics squandered a 3-2 lead over the Orlando Magic, ultimately losing Game 7 at home in a no-show. They led for all of 36 seconds, spent most of the game trying to cut into a double-digit deficit and collapsed in the fourth quarter, allowing the first 11 points.

Boston’s most recent Game 7 was its most excruciating loss, an 83-79 road setback to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 Finals. The Celtics were without Kendrick Perkins but nevertheless opened a 13-point lead in the third quarter. But Pierce and Allen shot a combined 8-of-29 and the bench managed just six points, all by Glen Davis.

Ultimately the past is the past and all that matters is learning from it to be prepared for the future. The future is tomorrow and they better reverse this trend or they're going to be history.