Celtics toughest road test awaits with five-game trip

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BOSTON – The idea of a five-game road trip on the surface would seem daunting to many teams.

“We’re going to have to hunker down and play,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens.

So far this season, being competitive on the road has not been an issue.

Boston hopes to continue along that path tonight when they take on the Orlando Magic.

Boston (9-7 overall, 3-3 road record) is one of 13 teams in the NBA with a road record of .500 or better this season.

If they are able to maintain such a distinction, it would be a first for third-year coach Brad Stevens and the first time for the Celtics since the team went 23-18 on the road in 2011.

Celtics wing Jae Crowder explained what some of the keys to success on the road involve.

“We just have to do it together,” Crowder said. “Times are going to be tough. We can’t hang our heads. We have to stick together and do what we do.”

And so far this season, we have seen the Celtics do some pretty amazing things away from the TD Garden, such as knocking off the Oklahoma City Thunder and their All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook.

Still, this trip will challenge them in ways the previous road games did not.

For starters, it consists of five games spread over a nine-day span. Heading into this trip, Boston has only played six road games total.

They will do it all without Marcus Smart, whose bruised left knee injury is looking more and more it won't allow him to won’t return to the lineup until mid or late December.

Regardless of who the Celtics have available, they are showing more often than not that they are up to the challenge of being a competitive bunch, home or road.

Here’s a look at how the Celtics have fared on the road vs. at TD Garden this season.

  HOME ROAD
FG% 42.3 44.3
3-POINT % 30.7 34.5
OFF. REB 12.4 12.8
DEF. REB 33.5 30.2
ASSISTS 25.1 22.5
OFF. RTG 99.3 102.7
DEF.RTG 92.2 101
REB % 50.5 49.2
eFG% 47.8 50.2
PACE 103.86 98.25

 

 

 

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