Blowout loss a rarity for 2014-15 Celtics

Boston's 31-point defeat last night tied for the club's worst loss in the Brad Stevens era (with a 129-98 drubbing in Denver last season).  A Kendrick Perkins (of all people!) bucket early in the fourth quarter yesterday put the Cavs up by 44 points, 100-56.  It was the largest deficit the Celtics had faced since 2002:

That was the first time in ten years the Celtics trailed by 40. (2nd 20 point loss this year..8 last year.) pic.twitter.com/ErdVkGwDM8
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) March 4, 2015

As Boston closed out the game with Phil Pressey, James Young, Luigi Datome, Gerald Wallace and Shavlik Randolph on the floor, I thought to myself, "it's been a while since I've seen garbage time."

Looking back over the schedule, last night was the Celtics' first double-digit loss since January 28 (110-98 in Minnesota).  As Grande noted, it was just the second time the C's fell by 20 or more all season, and the first since November 30 (111-89 vs. San Antonio).

Of Boston's 35 losses, 23 of them are by single digits (by comparison, 10 of its 23 wins are by 10 or more).  The Celtics have won or been within 10 points in 46 of 58 games this year.  Obviously that's an inexact measuring stick, but it shows Boston is competitive roughly 80 percent of the time.



Follow Mark Vandeusen on Twitter @LucidSportsFan