Why the Celtics’ winter West Coast trip matters more than you think

The same thing keeps making or breaking the Boston Celtics, year in and year out. It’s not three-point shooting. It’s not injuries. It’s…

…the annual winter west coast trip.

Maybe it’s because the games start so late, and I find myself staying up until one in the morning to watch the end of games. But the winter west coast trip — in which Boston usually plays both Los Angeles teams, Golden State and maybe one other California team — has quietly become one of the most important parts of the last three Celtics seasons, and this year’s is sneaky important.

I can’t prove it, but the 2022 version of this “let’s go play every team on the West Coast” thing broke the Celtics. The Celtics were 21-5,…