Celtics don't want to be surprised by playoff intensity in Cleveland
The Boston Celtics know they haven't played well away from TD Garden this postseason, but they're not overly concerned about those road woes as they prepare to head to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
The Celtics are 9-0 at home this postseason but just 1-4 on the road, their lone win coming in their second-round Game 3 overtime triumph in Philadelphia.
Boston players were peppered with questions about their road struggles after the team's practice Thursday but sounded confident in their ability to maintain the momentum from two wins at home against the Cavaliers.cheap nfl jerseys from china nike
"My reaction is, I can't wait for Game 3, and I'll just leave it at that," said second-year forward Jaylen Brown, who is one of only four players remaining from the team that won Game 3 in Cleveland last year during the Eastern Conference finals.
"I think we're pretty confident, just as confident as we were at home," Brown added. "There's a difference definitely between being on the road and at home, just the energy disparity. At home the energy is for you, away it's against you. But if you do what you're supposed to do and you are who you are, it'll show, home or away."
The Celtics' offensive rating plummets by 12 points per 100 possessions on the road, dropping from a robust 111.9 at home to a meager 99.9 on the road. And Boston's defensive rating skyrockets from 101.1 to 109.3.nfl youth jerseys cheap
Boston's struggles stem largely from a reserve unit that has struggled to impact games away from home. Boston's starters are shooting 45 percent on the road this postseason, but bench players have combined to shoot just 33 percent.
Celtics backup guard Marcus Smart expects a better effort from the bench in Cleveland.
"We haven't played well. We understand that. We understand that other teams see that and are going to try to exploit it, but that's the beauty about this game," Smart said. "Just take one game. You never know. Things change. Our confidence is high. Who knows? We're going to go in with a game plan and try to execute it to the best of our ability."
Celtics players admitted they were surprised by the intensity of the road when they lost Game 3 of their first-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks. Boston players are ready for what awaits in Cleveland with the Cavaliers facing what amounts to a must-win situation.
