1. The Celtics play physical basketball.

They don’t hesitate to let a team know that they will pay a price for venturing into the paint. Teams that play them should be ready for a battle.

2. Don’t rest easy on your home court.

The Celtics were one of the better road teams in the league this season. They are tied with Cleveland for the second most road wins in the regular season with 26 wins on the road. Only Dallas won more away from home with 27 wins. At the same time, teams won’t be intimidated going into the TD Garden because unlike the past two seasons, the Celtics haven’t been able to dominate at home and won a measly 24 games on their home court this season.

3. Reports of the Celtics demise are greatly exaggerated.

Yes, they struggled down the stretch. Yes, they ended up with only the 4th seed in the East. Yes, they struggled against the top teams in the league all season. But, they are also a veteran team who are now as healthy as they have been all season and who know how to raise their games for the playoffs. If you expect a series with the Celtics to be a cake walk, the cake may end up all over your face.

For more of Shirley’s coverage of the Boston Celtics check out CelticsBlog and Celtics Green.