Monday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics were back on the parquet after their longest road trip this season. They went 4-1 during that stretch, which mostly took them to the West Coast. However, when it comes time to turn the page, that first game after a cross-country flight and a lengthy stay away from the comforts of home presents a significant challenge.
It's common to see a team come out energetic in the first half, only for the taxing nature of the situation to catch up to them in the second.
By no means were the Celtics facing a juggernaut.