The Celtics are an absolute wagon at home.
After beating up on the San Antonio Spurs 117-98 on Wednesday night, Boston is now 20-0 (!!) at the TD Garden to begin the 2023-24 season. On average, they’re beating their opponents by 15.7 points per game at home (good for first in the NBA), and on aggregate, they’re outscoring them by 313. 12 of their 20 wins at home have been by double digits (h/t Justin Turpin, WEEI).
So, with 21 games remaining on the parquet, can they really finish the season unbeaten on Causeway?
If you think so, you can bet on it at FanDuel Sportsbook. Here are the odds for them to go 41-0 at TD Garden this season:
NBA Regular Season Specials – 2023-24
Boston Celtics to go 41-0 at home +6000
While it’s certainly possible for them to complete this feat, it’s definitely not likely.
Never mind the +6000 odds, no team in NBA history has had a perfect season at home. Only two, the 1985-86 Celtics and the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs, have lost once (40-1).
Following their thumping of the Spurs on Wednesday, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was asked about their 20-0 home record, and the idea of chasing the ’86 team’s 40-1 campaign:
“I didn’t know they did that until now,” he said of the ’86 squad. “Chasing things that are out of our control are really hard. Honestly, it hasn’t been a goal of ours to go 20-0. The goal has been to build a connection and an identity with the city and with the team, to where they give us this lift and this level of support that they have, and that we play a certain type of way, Celtics basketball … there are a ton of records, traditions, great players and if you chase them all, you’re bound to let yourself down or have an unhealthy relationship with success.”
What may be more impressive than their home streak, as pointed out by CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning, is how they’re winning these games. Here’s an excerpt from Manning’s post-game column on Wednesday:
Perhaps more impressive than the Celtics’ undefeated start at home, which now shattered the 1986 team’s 17-0 opening stretch, was the eighth unique starting line Boston started to begin the San Antonio game. They courted four different starter combinations over their last five home wins, beating the Rockets with their typical starting five, beating Minnesota with Horford relieving Porzingis and sneaking past Toronto without Horford or Kristaps.
The Celtics are back at home on Friday night when they welcome the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets to TD Garden. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. with the game airing on ESPN.
21-0 is on the line.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick and head to FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook, for all of your sports wagering.
