How important is Game 4 for Celtics? This stat paints clear picture
How important is Game 4 for Celtics? This stat paints clear picture originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have a great opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinals series versus the Cleveland Cavaliers in Monday night's Game 4 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
How important is it for the Celtics to win this matchup?
Well, teams that take a 3-1 series lead in the NBA playoffs go on to reach the next round 95.4 percent (268-13) of the time.
The Celtics also have never blown a 3-1 series lead. In fact, they have accounted for two of the 13 successful 3-1 comebacks, most recently in the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavaliers have lost three consecutive Game 4s dating back to the 2018 NBA Finals. They're also 1-6 on the road in the playoffs since the start of last season. It would be asking a lot of the Cavs to win twice at TD Garden over the final three games of this series.
Another reason why winning Game 4 and ending the series as quick as possible is so important for the Celtics is health. Getting a little rest before the Eastern Conference finals would be a huge help, especially for older veterans like Al Horford and injured players such as Kristaps Porzingis.
The New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers conference semifinals series is guaranteed to go at least six games, and it might need a Game 7 to determine a winner. So, if the Celtics eliminate the Cavs in five games, they might get a nice break before the conference finals.
But for that to happen, they first need to take care of business in Game 4. The Celtics are 9-2 in their last 11 road playoff games, though, so they should be plenty confident going into Monday's showdown in Cleveland.
