After record-setting road trip, Celtics head home to face red-hot Heat

Syndication: The Commercial AppealCeltics’ Jayson Tatum (0) hypes up the crowd as Boston fans chant for the Celtics as time expires and they defeated the Grizzlies 117-103 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Monday, March 31, 2025.

The Boston Celtics are one of the few NBA teams with a better record on the road than at home this season, but they have a chance to narrow that gap Wednesday when they host the red-hot Miami Heat.

Boston (56-19) is coming off a 6-0 road trip that raised the team’s road record to 32-7. It marked the longest road trip without a loss in franchise history, topping a 5-0 trip by the Celtics in February 1973. Boston won all six games by double digits with an average victory margin of 17.8 points.

“It’s special any time you make history in this league,” Jayson Tatum said following Boston’s 117-103 victory Monday at Memphis. “You have to enjoy that. Six games; 12 or 13 days away from home.

“Just a mindset of what we did last year,” Tatum added. “We won a championship and the idea that regardless of your record or your seed, you have to win some games on the road in the playoffs if you want to be a champion. Kind of establish that mindset throughout the regular season.”

Boston will enter Wednesday’s matchup on a nine-game winning streak with victories in 14 of its last 15 games.

“I just think we’ve been very focused,” said veteran center Al Horford. “I feel like even last year, we were good and especially in the playoffs we did a really good job on the road, controlling the tempo, being able to play a certain way. It’s pretty special the way that we’re playing and some of the things we’re doing here.”

Miami (34-41) has regrouped since losing 10 straight in March and will attempt Wednesday to extend a five-game winning streak. The Heat beat Washington 120-94 Monday without Andrew Wiggins (hamstring), Duncan Robinson (back), Kevin Love (personal reasons) and Davion Mitchell, who was a late scratch because of a stomach illness. Wiggins, Robinson and Love will all sit out Wednesday.

Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo have each led the team in scoring twice in the last four games. Herro has scored 29, 20, 36, 30 and 27 points in his last five outings.

“The team is gaining a lot of confidence,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said after Monday’s win. “We have a lot of guys out right now. We’re thinking about everybody who’s (home) in Miami, then Davion gets sick and everybody’s just ready. It’s really a collective energy pouring life into each other following Tyler and Bam, and other guys are contributing.”

Miami has won its last five games by an average of 20.4 points, but the Heat are 0-3 against Boston this season. The Celtics won 108-89 the only time the teams met in Boston.

“I think we’ve been doing all the karma things, as (Spoelstra) likes to say, that are putting us in a good position,” said Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who contributed 14 points in 24 minutes off the bench Monday. “Taking each game seriously. This is all to prepare for a game like we have Wednesday against Boston.

“That good karma should be paying off, and I know everyone is going there confident and in good spirits. I think that’s more important than anything. We’re looking forward to it.”

–Field Level Media

Related Posts

Bucknell sued in football player’s death last summer

The parents of a Bucknell football player are suing over his death during a workout last summer. The parents of a Bucknell freshman football player who died following a workout…

Read more

MLB Over/Under Bet: Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles, April 2

If at first you don’t succeed, try again. That mantra proved true in getting back our “W” last night in the Tigers-Mariners series after a defeat the previous evening. But…

Read more

Jayden Quaintance eyeing transfer after ACL surgery

Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance (21) gets around UCF guard Keyshawn Hall (4) during Big 12 play at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Jan. 14, 2025. Freshman star Jayden…

Read more

Brooks Koepka wishes LIV Golf were ‘little bit further along’

Sep 20, 2024; Carrolton, Texas, USA; Brooks Koepka plays his shot from the tenth tee during the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship at Maridoe Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn…

Read more

Jon Rahm ‘feeling good,’ ready to tame Blue Monster

Apr 9, 2023; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Jon Rahm waves to the crowd after donning his green jacket after winning The Masters golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-USA TODAY Network Jon…

Read more

Maybe Tanking Isn’t All That Bad for the NBA

Finish line in sight, I flipped on the Mavericks and Bulls the other night, both teams battling for play-in positions. Wow. Great game. Two nights later, I tried the Kings…

Read more

Leave a Reply