Entering Sunday night’s deciding game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics had a 20-4 record on the parquet floor in Game 7.

Jim Fenton The Enterprise @JFenton_ent

BOSTON – The Celtics have now played a Game 7 on their home court 25 times, more than any other team’s combined home and away total.

When they squared off with the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night at the TD Garden for the Eastern Conference title, the Celtics were trying to improve on a 20-4 home record in Game 7s.

The Celtics, who have taken part in 32 Game 7s overall, lead the NBA in that category with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers second with 24.

Since playing their first Game 7 at the old Boston Garden against the St. Louis Hawks in 1957, the Celtics had lost only four times in a deciding game on the parquet floor.

It happened once each during the 1970s and 1980s, then twice during a short span last decade.

Here’s a look at those four Game 7 home losses against the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic:

April 29, 1973: The Celtics had won eight straight Game 7s on the parquet floor before the streak ended against the Knicks, 94-78.

The Celtics had put together a 68-14 record that season with Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Jo Jo White, Paul Silas and Don Chaney leading the way.

But in Game 3 of the conference finals in New York, Havlicek suffered a severe shoulder injury that forced him to miss Game 4.

He returned to score 18 points in a Game 5 win that pulled the Celtics within 3-2, but was limited in the next two games, scoring just four points on 1-for-6 shooting in the clincher.

Walt Frazier was too much for the Celtics, scoring 25 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists, while Cowens (24 points, 14 rebounds), White (22 points) and Silas (12 points, 16 rebounds) did their parts.

May 23, 1982: The day will long be remembered for the chant “Beat LA’’ that was directed to the 76ers as they finished off the Celtics in Game 7, 120-106.

One year after the Celtics had defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, the Sixers would be squaring off against Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after dethroning the Celtics, and their fans showed support for the opponent.

“I just want to thank the Boston Celtics fans, the way they responded at the end of the game,’’ 76ers coach Billy Cunningham told reporters that day. “That truly showed a great deal of class.’’

Boston had trailed, 3-1, in the series before winning the next two games, but Andrew Toney had 34 points and Julius Erving added 29 in the clincher, denying the Celtics a chance to repeat as champions.

May 7, 2005: The Celtics had forced a Game 7 against the Pacers with an overtime win on the road two nights earlier, but they were routed in the second half of the deciding game and dropped an opening-round series.

With Doc Rivers in his first season on the bench, the Celtics got little offense that night from anyone other than Antoine Walker (who had returned to the team for a second stint earlier in the season via a trade) and Paul Pierce. They had 39 of the Celtics’ points in a 97-70 loss.

May 17, 2009: Playing without the injured Kevin Garnett, the Celtics lost in the second round when the Magic defeated them in Game 7, 101-82.

Garnett hurt his knee in February, and the Celtics managed to go 62-20, but without him in the playoffs, there was no chance of winning back-to-back titles.

The Celtics did take a 3-2 lead over the Magic before losing Game 6 on the road. In Game 7, though, the Magic outscored the Celtics, 35-21, in the fourth quarter to pull away for the win.

Hedo Turkoglu had 25 points and 12 assists for the Magic with Dwight Howard adding 16 rebounds. The Magic went on to the NBA Finals where they lost to the Lakers.

Ray Allen scored 23 points to lead the Celtics, who returned to the Finals a year later with a healthy Garnett.