The Hammer

Long ago and far away the Boston Celtics played a home game against Portland. The Celtics went up by 10. ESPN flashed a graphic showing the Celtics' record in games where they led by 10 points or more during the KG Era.

25-0. The Celtics won that game, too.

Thereafter, I droned on and on about how Doc and KG knew how to put down the hammer.

Since then the Celtics have lost at least two games where they've held leads of ten or more points.

Well, today the Green bolted to another 10 point lead, on the road no less.

Can they hold it?

I almost dare not mention it, but the Raptors are shooting 36% at halftime. Against the Celtics? At home? The Celtics don't play defense on the road. Come to think of it, I'm not sure what they do play on the road can really be called "basketball."

In any event, the other stat that jumps out at me is an offensive one. The Celtics are 7-11 from range.

That makes me nervous, because it's a number than can easily go south down the stretch.