Why Is It So Darned Hard To Win On The Road?

In the NBA conference semifinals, the road teams are 1-15. We all know home-court advantage matters, but have we ever put our finger on why?

FanIQ tries to figure it out, and like others, they come to the conclusion that it's all in these players' heads.

It seems to be that players are psychologically drilled to believe that playing on the road is tougher than it is at home, especially during the playoffs. It's almost like Pavlov's dogs. Turn on the light, make the dogs slobber. Put the Celtics on the road, they can't win. It's not that Cleveland's crowd is the key difference, or that it's making Cleveland play any better, it's that Boston has the preconceived notion that the game will be tougher than it otherwise should be. Think about it. If you're drilled your whole life by people like Collins and experts and coaches who say playing on the road is hard, then it's going to seem to hard. But the truth is, it really isn't.

Obviously, no one would know how difficult it is to win on the road in the NBA Playoffs better than a blogger. But still: It's not like the court's different — seriously, in Houston they have a freaking hill in center field — and crowds scream everywhere. They should be used to that by now, yes? Alas: 'Tis the mystery.

Trying To Understand The Rash Of NBA Playoff Road Losses [FanIQ] Is Home Court A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy? [All On The Field]