The Celtics Are Once Again in the Eastern Conference Finals. Where’s the Drama?

Getty Images/Ringer illustration Boston's postseason run has been almost tedious. Sometimes that lack of tension even shows up on the court. The numbers underpinning this Boston Celtics playoff run, once again, are staggering. Three straight Eastern Conference finals appearances. Four appearances in the past five seasons, six in the past eight. A postseason net rating of 12.8—even better than their historic regular-season number of 11.7. That is the highest figure since the 2016-17 Warriors outscored their opponents by 12.9 points per 100 possessions amid their dominant championship campaign, sealed in just 17 games. As the boss notes: Boston is 72-20 in 2023-24. Not bad at all. Then there are the other numbers. After Wednesday's series-clinching 113-98 win in Boston, the Celtics are now only barely above .500 in home playoff games over the past three playoff runs, at 15-14. Four of the seven best-of-seven series the Celtics played in the previous two postseasons went to seven games. The Celtics have had problems with handling business at home. Head coach Joe Mazzulla downplayed the issue: "I haven't put any thought into it at all," he told reporters during the series against...