The Boston Celtics (18-30, 10-15 home) host the Philadelphia 76ers (11-39, 5-21 away) on Friday night at TD Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:
GAME PREVIEW (via STATS LLC)
Winners of three straight at home, the Philadelphia 76ers need to take that success on the road, where their recent competitiveness still hasn't produced positive results.
The 76ers try to avoid a season-high eighth straight road defeat Friday night against the Boston Celtics, who look to match their season best with a third consecutive victory.
Hollis Thompson scored a career-high 23 points Tuesday to lead six players in double figures for Philadelphia (11-39), which beat Denver 105-98 to record its first three-game home winning streak since March 2013.
The 76ers are only one-half game better than last-place New York in the Eastern Conference, but they've won three of their last five.
"I think we're getting better every day, and I think we're coming together as a team," Thompson said.
In his second season, the undrafted Thompson (7.8 points per game) is averaging 15 points while going 10 of 16 from 3-point range in the last three games. He scored 19 and hit all six shots, including four 3-pointers, in the first half Tuesday to help the 76ers take a 21-point lead into the break.
"I think now clearly he's got his feet settled, and he's playing with confidence," coach Brett Brown said of Thompson, who missed 11 games in December and January because of an upper respiratory infection.
Philadelphia has scored at least 100 points in consecutive home games against two of the league's worst defensive teams in Minnesota and Denver, but has reached that mark once while going 5-21 on the road. The 76ers rank last in the NBA at 84.8 points per game and 39.1 percent shooting away from home, but hung in with two of the East's top clubs in the last two.
They held East-leading Atlanta to 43.6 percent shooting, made 14 of 35 3-point attempts and overcame a 21-point deficit to take a late lead before falling 91-85 on Saturday. Two nights later, the 76ers nearly erased a 20-point deficit at Cleveland, where they hit 12 3s and forced 18 turnovers in a 97-84 loss.
Philadelphia dropped the first two meetings this season with Boston at home but recorded two of its nine road wins in 2013-14 against the Celtics.
Michael Carter-Williams, who had 15 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds versus Denver, totaled 24 points in this season's two games with the Celtics, but scored that many in a 111-102 win in Boston on April 4.
The Celtics (18-30) blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and fell behind before rallying to beat Denver 104-100 on Wednesday. Boston never trailed the night before in a 108-97 win at New York.
"We're learning how to win, especially in the close games," said guard Avery Bradley, who has scored at least 17 in three straight games.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH (via Chris Forsberg)
• Keep the offense going: The 76ers have maintained a defensive rating of 93.9 points per 100 possessions over their last five games, which helps explain how they won three of those games (the only defeats coming on the road against East powers Atlanta and Cleveland). Boston has gotten an offensive jolt from a recent lineup shuffle and needs to maintain that, particularly considering how Philadelphia's length has bothered Boston at times in recent meetings.
• Ball security: Philadelphia is 30th in the league in turnover percentage (a spot it's maintained even while playing better recently). The Celtics have been particularly pesky while running with small-ball lineups and have the ability to generate points off turnovers against the 76ers.
• Tough back-to-back: The Celtics haven't been bashful about a desire to make a run at a final playoff spot. They've got a chance here to win a third straight game. Friday's outing is particularly important with a tough second night of a back-to-back looming on road Saturday in Milwaukee. Boston wraps up the first half of the season on Wednesday with a visit from the East-leading Atlanta Hawks.