Celtics vs. Pacers: This Wild Conference Finals Stat May Surprise You originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have home-field advantage in their Eastern Conference Finals series against the Indiana Pacers after leading the NBA with a 64-18 record during the regular season.
Historically, the team with home field advantage has done significantly better in the conference finals. In fact, home teams in the conference finals have a record of 295-161 (64.7 percent) since 1984.
But you might be surprised to learn that over the past three seasons, home teams in the conference finals have had a lackluster 16-19 record.
What’s more, the Celtics have lost four of the last five Game 1s in the conference finals since 2017, including a series-opening loss at TD Garden against the Miami Heat last season.
The Celtics are 16-15 in their last 31 home playoff games dating back to the 2021 postseason. They lost three of four home games to the Heat in last year’s conference finals loss.
These stats are not good for the Celtics entering Tuesday night’s Game 1but there are some favorable trends working in Boston’s favor.
They are 8-1 against the Pacers in their last nine head-to-head meetings in Boston. The Pacers were 21-20 on the road in the regular season and are 2-5 in the playoffs so far. One of those victories was the Game 7 triumph over the New York Knicks in the second round, but they needed the best single-game shooting performance in playoff history to emerge victorious.
It’s also worth noting that among the 16 playoff teams, the Celtics rank 1st in net rating, 2nd in offensive rating, 3rd in defensive rating, 2nd in points allowed, 3rd in rebounds per game. and No. 3 in 3-point percentage.
The Celtics are the most talented and deepest team left in the final four, which is why they are heavy favorites to win the NBA Finals next month. Even if the Celtics lose a game or two at home against the Pacers, they should still win the series. Boston is 10-3 on the road in the playoffs since last season, including 4-0 in 2024.
