"It's plain and simple," Celtics guard Ray Allen said of a possible matchup between the teams. "We only get seven games, but the seventh game isn't in our building. That's the difference. We can't have a struggle. We have to win one game here.
"You take it one game at a time in the playoffs. You've got to beat them, whoever you play. As the momentum builds, the playoffs build, and the teams start to dwindle. That is what it's going to come down to, winning in this building."
The Celtics haven't won in Cleveland since a 114-107 overtime victory Dec. 18, 2004. Boston is 0-6 at Cleveland since the arrival of the "Big Three." The Celtics last had a regulation victory in Cleveland Dec. 13, 2003, 105-98. They have lost by an average of 12.7 points during the 11-game stretch of setbacks.
On the reason for Cleveland's home dominance, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo said, is fast starts.
"All I can remember is us always being down in the first quarter," Rondo said. "Not just 2 or 3. It's always like a 9-plus, double-digit lead in the first quarter. On the road it's hard to fight back with a crowd like this."
But when asked whether he was worried about losing so often in Cleveland, Rondo said, "It doesn't mean anything. We just have to win the championship. The streak is all pretty much behind us. They played great in the regular season, but the start of the playoffs we're at 0-0."
Added Paul Pierce, "It's not something that the players think about like when we come in this building that we can't win, because we feel like we can win in this building."
The Celtics shouldn't feel too terrible about their struggles here, since Cleveland has victimized everyone but West power the Lakers this season.
The Cavaliers are now one of six teams in NBA history that have won at least 39 home games. Each previous team made it to the Finals. A win in their regular-season finale against Philadelphia Wednesday would tie Cleveland with the 1985-86 Celtics for the all-time best home record at 40-1.
