Celtics Aim for Greatest Upset in Sports History in First-Round Series vs. Cavs

                It’s virtually impossible not to root for these Boston Celtics. Less than two years after trading future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in an effort to rebuild with young talent, the Celtics are headed back to the postseason after just a one-year hiatus.

            The 2014-15 season was presumed kaput after the Celtics dealt point guard Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks—waving goodbye to the final piece of their 2008 NBA championship team and an integral player of their 2010 Eastern Conference championship squad. The Celtics were 9-14 at the time of the move. They would lose nine of their next 12 contests before the team shipped Jeff Green—the purported best player on the roster following the Rondo deal—to the Memphis Grizzlies. All hope seemed lost and talk of tanking for a lottery pick amplified. It was supposedly a forgone conclusion the Celtics would be watching the playoffs from their couches for a second straight year.

The Rajon Rondo trade did not sit well with Celtics fans at first. (AP/G.J. McCarthy)

            But something magical occurred after the Celtics traded Green. Spearheaded by head coach Brad Stevens, the Celtics rallied around one another and started playing spirited team basketball and along the way victories materialized. Then came the trade deadline deal for sparkplug Isaiah Thomas, the small-statured guard who the Celtics acquired from Phoenix. Behind Thomas—a legit candidate for sixth man of the year—the Celtics embarked on an improbable push to the postseason that became a reality following the Brooklyn Nets’ blowout loss at the hands of the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

            The Celtics are 27-19 since the Green trade and stand at 39-42 overall with the season-finale slated for Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. An even more welcoming sight for the Celtics—they are 15-6 with Thomas in the lineup. And the most telling stat of all in Boston’s turnaround: the team has posted the second-best record in the Eastern Conference since Feb. 2, with only the Cleveland Cavaliers recording a better winning percentage in that time span.

            Speaking of the Cavs, the Celtics are set to duel LeBron James and Co. in the first-round of the 2015 playoffs. The matchup was clinched following the Celtics’ thrilling 95-93 win over the playoff-bound Toronto Raptors. The victory was highlighted by a game-winning jumper with .8 seconds left from Jae Crowder—the key cog acquired in the Rondo deal that appeared profoundly lopsided in the Mavs’ favor at the time of the exchange. In hitting that ridiculous fall-away jump shot from the right corner, Crowder and the C’s made sure they would play the star-studded Cavs when the playoffs open this weekend.

            The Cavaliers will be the favorites versus the upstart Celtics. Heavy favorites. With a Big Three of James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Cavaliers begin the postseason as the Las Vegas favorites to win the title. And why not? The team has been rolling ever since the midseason trades that brought J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov to the championship-starved city of Cleveland. Smith has become a three-point machine for the Cavs, who can space the court better than any team in the East. Shumpert has become a key bench player, thriving in perimeter defense and adding the occasional trey when called upon. Mozgov, meanwhile, has provided the Cavs a much-needed rim protector and a solid finisher in the paint who has corralled seven rebounds per contest since his arrival.

            By looking at the starting lineups’ head-to-head matchups, it’s easy to see why the Cavs are expected to cruise right past the young and experienced Celtics. The Celtics can’t come close to measuring up in the forward battles. James versus Evan Turner and Love against Brandon Bass are unfair fights, to put it gently. At center, Mozgov is more of a force in the middle currently than Tyler Zeller, albeit the former University of North Carolina standout has excelled in his first year in Boston. Irving, a three-time All-Star and the 2012 Rookie of the Year, has the clear advantage over defensive-minded rookie Marcus Smart at point guard. The only matchup that one can argue favors the Celtics lies at shooting guard, where Avery Bradley goes up against Smith. Bradley, an improved mid-range jump shooter and one of the elite perimeter defenders in the league, has a much better overall game than Smith. But keep in mind, Smith is playing in an ideal role for his talents. Smith won’t spend much time inside the three-point line as the offense only calls for his services as an outside shooter, meaning he can save more energy on the defensive side.

            How big of underdogs will the Celtics be, given all these one-sided matchups among the starters? Even with a clear advantage in coaching for Boston as Stevens has done a much better job than David Blatt (in terms of wins/expectations) with less talent, it will be hard-pressed to find experts predicting a series that lasts longer than five games. In actuality, most pundits are likely to forecast a Cavs sweep over the Celtics, who even after winning seven of their last eight, remain under .500 before their Wednesday night tilt in Milwaukee.

            The C’s chances in this series may as well be one in a million. Yes, cue the famous Lloyd Christmas line from Dumb and Dumber.

             A series-victory over the Cavs would not just be the greatest stunner in NBA playoff history, but rather the greatest upset in sports history. It would top the feat by Appalachian State of the FCS (formerly Division 1-AA), who conquered previously No. 5 ranked Michigan at the Big House in 2007. It would be a bigger upset than the New York Giants’ victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. And it would even triumph the ‘Miracle on Ice’ that featured United States amateur and collegiate hockey players defeat the Soviet Union—who consisted of military players (thus making them non-professionals in hockey and eligible for the Olympics) that in reality practiced yearlong together—in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

            How could the Celtics eliminating the Cavs be a greater magnitude of an upset than the ‘Miracle on Ice’? Two reasons. One, Boston was a supposed bottom-five team in the NBA before the year started. ESPN’s Fall Forecast had the Celtics going 26-56, Bleacher Report projected a 21-61 season, while no CBS Sports expert predicted the Celtics to win more than 27 games. And keep in mind, those predictions came before Rondo and Green, Boston’s expected two core players for the impending season, were traded. Second of all, this is a best-of-seven series, meaning the Celtics have to defeat the Cavs four separate times to advance. No disrespect to the heroics of Appalachian State, the Giants or the U.S. men’s hockey squad, but it would be hard to envision any of those teams achieving their respective upsets in a best-of-seven setup.

            My prediction: Cavs in five. And bear in mind, my forecast is partially clouded by my rooting interest. As a Celtics fan, I would be thrilled to see a long series, but it just doesn't seem physically possible. But the Celtics have proven me wrong all season. Maybe they could do it one last time. Again, Lloyd Christmas mentality for Celtics Nation.

Thank You Rajon Rondo

Sending thanks to Rajon Rondo, who was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night in exchange for Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, a conditional first-round pick in the 2015 draft and a second-rounder in 2016, as well as a $12.9 million trade exception.

Rajon Rondo,

Thank you for steering the point guard duties for the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics NBA Championship team, who throttled the rival LA Lakers in the Finals.

Thank you for helping the Celtics begin the 2008-2009 season 27-2, the best start in NBA History. Celtics Nation will never forget how you nearly averaged a triple-double that postseason (16.9 ppg, 9.9 apg, 9.7 rpg). It’s a shame Kevin Garnett was sidelined for the entire playoffs with a knee injury because the Celtics were a lock to win the Eastern Conference (they almost did even with KG injured) and may have been able to defeat the Lakers in the Finals.

Thank you for developing into an elite point guard in the 2009-2010 season—a year that you helped guide the fourth-seeded Celtics to a win away from capturing the NBA Championship. Had Kendrick Perkins not torn his ACL in Game 6 of the Finals in what was the most untimely injury in NBA postseason history, Boston likely would have won that infamous Game 7 against LA, and you would have had your second ring.

Thank you for leading the good-but-not-great 2011-2012 Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. The entire country was rooting for the Celtics in that series against the detested Miami Heat. You emerged into the best player on the Celtics that postseason and were the major reason why they pushed the heavily-favored Heat to the brink of elimination, nearly pulling off one of the greatest upsets in NBA playoff history.

And thank you for keeping the Celtics watchable these past two seasons. It hasn't been easy for Celtics fans after the unceremonious trade of legend Paul Pierce in the summer of 2013, but you kept Celtics Nation entertained as a walking triple-double.

Thanks for all the memories, Mr. Triple-Double. Once a Celtics Legend, Always a Celtics Legend.

Love, Boston Celtics Nation

Rajon Rondo’s message (combing his recent Tweets): pic.twitter.com/DmYdUlDSXn
— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) December 19, 2014

Paul Pierce: A Legendary Celtic and The Truth

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Paul Pierce, The Truth, has been traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster deal. There is no better time to reminisce his Boston career.

               Pierce is arguably the fourth greatest player in the famed history of the Boston Celtics. Only 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell, three-time NBA champion Larry Bird and franchise all-time leading scorer and eight-time champion John Havlicek had more accomplished careers with Boston than Pierce.

                Pierce played 15 years in Boston, leading the Celtics to the playoffs 10 times, reaching the Finals twice and winning the NBA Championship and Finals MVP in 2008. Pierce will be remembered as the greatest pure scorer in Celtics history. He accumulated the second-most points in franchise history (20^th in NBA History as of now) with 24,021 points, trailing only Havlicek, who spent 16 seasons with the Celtics. Pierce averaged the second-most points in franchise history, registering 21.8 points per game, behind Bird, who totaled 24.3 points per contest. Pierce ranks 9th in NBA history for points scored with one franchise.

                Pierce holds the franchise record in steals, three-pointers made (5^th all-time in NBA history as of now) and free throws made (10^th all-time in NBA history as of now). Pierce also ranks 3rd in games played, 3rd in minutes, 4th in assists, 7th in rebounds and 4th in blocks in franchise history.

                But Pierce will not just be remembered because he re-wrote the record books in the renowned history of the Celtics. He will be known for being the most loyal player of his time, remaining with one franchise for a decade and a half in an era "where players change teams as often as they change socks,” to quote former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.

                Pierce did not bolt to another team in the tough times, like LeBron James resorted to doing by joining the Miami Heat. He did not demand a trade when the future of the team looked murky, like Kobe Bryant and so many other star players of this era did. Pierce never attempted to force a trade (like Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard succumbed to doing). Instead, he trusted the management and owners to put the proper pieces around him necessary to win a title. Following the dismal 2006-2007 season that included a team-worst 18-game losing streak, Pierce was pressed on whether he should command to be moved to a contender. 

                “I thought about it. I really did," Pierce admitted. “Told my family that I was thinking about asking to be traded. But something just pulled at me, told me to stick around.”

                In the summer of 2007, Danny Ainge rewarded Pierce's loyalty with the acquisitions of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

                A starting lineup of Pierce, Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Allen won 66 games in the regular season. Alas, the Celtics needed the heroics of Pierce to win the title.

                In a Game 7 battle for the ages, Pierce outdueled LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden, scoring 41 points in the series-deciding contest.

                In the Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, Pierce was able to score 11 of his 27 points in the 4th quarter of the series-clinching Game 6, leading the Celtics to their first trip to the Finals since 1987.

                The Celtics faced off against their longtime rivals in the Finals, but the Los Angeles Lakers were no match for the Green and White. Despite spraining his MCL in Game 1 of the series, Pierce managed to outshine Bryant in the Finals. Pierce earned the Finals MVP award, posting 21.8 points, 6.3 assists and 4.5 rebounds in the series.

                Pierce finally won the championship ring he coveted for so long, helping him stand parallel to the Celtics legends.

Paul Piece holding the Finals MVP trophy in 2008, moments after winning the title. (AP)

                 The Celtics had no championship hangover for the 2008-2009 season. Boston started the season off 27-2 (best start in NBA history) and looked unstoppable in the process. Heartbreak struck in February of 2009 in Utah as Garnett hit the floor with a knee injury, forcing him into season-ending surgery months later. The Celtics still fought hard that postseason without Garnett and made it to the Conference Semifinals, before losing to the Orlando Magic in seven games. Had Garnett remained healthy, the Celtics would have almost certainly made it to the Finals against the Lakers for a championship rematch. It should be noted that the Lakers would have been the clear cut favorites in the series, even had the Celtics retained their health that year. The real shame, though, in Garnett getting hurt is that it robbed the Celtics of a true chance to defend their title.

              Garnett hobbled his way through the duration of the 2009-2010 regular season as the Celtics stumbled into the playoffs as the fourth seed. But the Celtics were able to upset the Cavaliers (forcing James to depart to South Beach) in the Conference Semifinals and then defeated the Magic in six games in the Conference Finals. 

                The Celtics led the Lakers 3-2 in the 2010 NBA Finals, before starting center Perkins tore his ACL in Game 6 of the Celtics' blowout loss in Los Angeles. The Celtics lost a hard fought battle in Game 7, 83-79, as the team got pounded on the glass, getting out-rebounded 53-40. If Perkins were healthy for that game, the Celtics rebounding issues would not have been as severe and the Celtics would have been in prime position to snatch the game and the title.

                Pierce will beloved in Boston forever after restoring the glory of the franchise by capture the 2008 NBA title. Pierce probably should have won two titles had it not been for unprecedented bad luck in 2010. But luck is a part of sports sometimes, and the Celtics unfortunately ran into consecutive years of cruel misfortune with the injuries to Garnett in '09 and Perkins in 2010.
               Regardless of the amount of rings Pierce won in Boston, he will always be treasured for his loyalty, his passion and his ability reestablish Boston as a basketball-first city.

                The future Hall of Famer had so many great moments that I have yet to mention, so let’s go through some of his his career bests:

  2002 Regular Season Contest Versus Nets (in New Jersey)

                Pierce went 1-for-16 shooting with just two points in the first half, before becoming unstoppable in the second half and overtime. He scored 46 points after intermission to guide the Celtics to an overtime victory.

                2002 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS GAME 5: 76ers at Celtics

                In the deciding game of the opening round, Pierce lit up the Philadelphia 76ers for a  playoff career-high 46 points, including going 8-10 from three-point range. The Celtics advanced to the Conference Semifinals after throttling the 76ers by 33 points.

                2002 EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 3: Nets at Celtics

                The Boston Celtics entered the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals down 74-53 to the New Jersey Nets in front of their home crowd.

                Pierce cemented himself as a Celtic legend in this incredulous comeback, scoring 19 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter  (connecting on six layups in the final frame) as the Celtics rallied from what was a 27 point deficit in the third quarter to win and complete the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history.

                2003 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS GAME 4: Pacers at Celtics

                Pierce had the Garden unconscious, scoring 32 of his 37 points in the second half. He set a a Celtics franchise record that day for most points in one half in a playoff game. The most memorable sequence of the game came when Pierce trashed talked Al Harrington with the ball in his hands for most of the shot clock before draining the three-pointer.

                2006 Regular Season Game Versus Cleveland Cavaliers

                Paul Pierce was awe-inspiring on this night in a clash with LeBron. Pierce scored a career-high 50 points, the most ever totaled in the TD Garden (circa 1995). The Cavs, however, won the game.

                2008 EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS GAME 7: Cavs at Celtics

                As previously noted, this was a shootout for the ages between Pierce and James. It drew comparisons to the 1988 battle between Bird and Dominique Wilkins. Pierce hit clutch shot after clutch shot as he registered 41 points to put away the Cavs and save the Celtics season.

                2008 NBA FINALS GAME 1: Lakers at Celtics

                After landing awkwardly on his leg (he sprained his MCL) after a made basket by Bryant in the third quarter, Pierce had to be carted off on the court in a wheel chair. He returned minutes later and proceeded to knock down three 3’s as part of a 15 point quarter for the Truth. The Celtics won Game 1 behind the efforts of Pierce, 105-98.

                2008 NBA FINALS GAME 4: Celtics at Lakers

                The Lakers entered Game 4 (trailing 2-1) with an extreme sense of urgency and pounded the C’s in the first quarter, jumping out to a 35-14 lead, the largest first-quarter lead in NBA Finals history.  The Celtics appeared doomed as they trailed by 18 points at halftime. By the midway point of the third quarter, the Lakers had increased their lead to 24 over the Celtics.

                The Celtics stormed back as Pierce posted a game-high 20 points to spearhead the Celtics to the victory, the largest comeback in Finals history since 1971.

     2008 NBA FINALS GAME 6: Lakers at Celtics: BANNER 17

                As previously noted, Pierce won Finals MVP after the Celtics obliterated the Lakers, 132-93  to win their 17^th title in franchise history.

2009 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS GAME 5: Bulls at Celtics

                In a key game in one of the best series of all time between the Chicago Bulls and Celtics, Pierce stayed true to his flair for the dramatic by knocking down a jumper with three seconds remaining in overtime over John Salmons that helped the Celtics win a pivotal Game 5. The Celtics closed out the Bulls in seven games.

                2010 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game 3: Celtics at Heat

                Paul Pierce ended any chance of a long series between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, knocking down a buzzer-beater in Game 3 in South Beach to silence an already quiet crowd. Dwayne Wade was spotted crying in soft tears on the bench after fouling out. The Celtics won the series in five games, forcing Wade to beg LeBron to join forces in Miami.

                2010 NBA FINALS GAME 5: Lakers at Celtics

                Pierce racked up a game-high 27 points as the Celtics defeated the Lakers 92-86 to take a 3-2 series lead, before losing in devastating fashion in seven games.

                2012 Regular Season Contest Versus Charlotte Bobcats

                Pierce passed Bird to move into second place on the franchise's list of all-time leading scorers in a 94-84 win over the Charlotte Bobcats at TD Garden on February 8, 2012. Pierce buried a 3-pointer from the right wing with 10:23 to play in the third quarter to move past Bird. Surpassing Bird in points scored helped remind fans just how legendary Pierce was for Boston.

                2012 EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 5- Celtics at Heat

                Pierce drained a three-point dagger over James to seal the victory for the Celtics. The shot is now being referred to as “The Last Shot” as this became the final memorable playoff moment for Pierce as a member of the Boston Celtics. This was a cold-blooded shot right in LeBron's mouth.

Best Single-Game Comebacks in Boston Sports Playoff History

Boston sports teams truly have a knack for phenomenal comebacks.

After Monday night's thrilling comeback overtime win for the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs, I have decided to compile a list of the best individual-game comebacks in Boston sports' playoff history.

Modern-day Boston fans will never forget the Red Sox comeback in the 2004 ALCS when they became the first (and only) team in MLB history to erase a 3-0 series deficit to beat their bitter rivals, the New York Yankees, en route to defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in four games as the franchise ended its 86-year World Series drought. 

While the Boston Red Sox series victory over the Bronx bombers is the greatest comeback in sports history, this list focuses only on individual game comebacks in Boston sports' playoff history.

Yes, I am fully aware the Sox made improbable comebacks in games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS. In Game 4, the Sox rallied to tie the score off the best closer in league-history, Mariano Rivera, after entering the ninth down a run. The Sox won in 12 innings via a David Ortiz two-run home-run off Yankees reliever Paul Quantrill. 

The Sox pulled off another astounding comeback the next night in Game 5. Trailing 4-2 heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Sox scored two-runs in the bottom of the frame. Ortiz hit a towering home-run to the Green Monster seats in left field to start the rally, before Jason Varitek tied the game later in the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field off Rivera. The Sox won this contest in 14 innings as David Ortiz hit a blooper to center field off Yankees reliever Esteban Loaiza to score Johnny Damon from second base.

Boston fans are so spoiled that these two miraculous comebacks did not even crack the top five in their city’s famed-sports history.

Without further adieu, here are the top five single-game comebacks in Boston Playoff History:

5. 1986 ALCS Game 5- Boston Red Defeat California Angels 7-6 (F/11 Innings)

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The Boston Red Sox entered the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS versus the California Angels trailing 5-2 and were down 3 games to 1 in the best-of-seven series. Mike Witt of the California Angels had been hosing down Sox’ batters all day long and was a mere two outs away from his second complete game of the series as he attempted to send the franchise to its first-ever World Series.

With one out and a runner on first, Don Baylor of the Red Sox hit a two-strike, two run-home run to cut the deficit to 5-4. Witt was replaced after retiring the next batter. Gary Lucas was then brought in to face catcher Rich Gedman, who had been 3 for 3 in the game against Witt, including a double and a home run. But with his very first pitch, Lucas hit Gedman, and was replaced by closer Donnie Moore. Moore brought the Angels within one strike of its first-ever AL pennant, before Dave Henderson  of the Red  Sox crushed a home run into the left field stands. The Red Sox led 6-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but gave up the game-tieing run in the latter frame. But, Henderson delivered for the Sox again, hitting a sacrifice fly in the top of the 11^th as the Sox won 7-6.  

The Sox went on to win the next two games in the series to win the  AL pennant but fell to the New York Mets in seven games in heartbreaking fashion in the 1986 World Series.

4. 2013 NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game 7- Boston Bruins Defeat Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 (OT)

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The Boston Bruins staved off elimination in improbable fashion at the TD Garden in a win-or-go-home game in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal round. The Toronto Maple Leafs opened a 4-1 lead in the third period of the decisive game, but Nathan Horton cut the deficit to two with 11:52 remaining in regulation. The Bruins trailed by two goals with less than 90 seconds remaining before scoring twice in a 31 second span.  Milan Lucic scored the first goal with 1:22 remaining before Patrice Bergeron tied the score with 51 seconds to play. It was only fitting that Bergeron scored the series-winning goal just six minutes into the overtime as the Bruins won in epic fashion in front of their home fans.

The Bruins became the first team to overcome a three-goal deficit in the third period of a Game 7 in Stanley Cup History. With the New York Rangers next on tap, the Bruins look to ride their current momentum to a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

3. 2008 ALCS Game 5- Boston Red Sox Defeat Tampa Bay Rays 8-7

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The Boston Red Sox outdid their 2004 squad in terms of a single-game comeback just four years later against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS. The Sox trailed 7-0 in the bottom of the seventh and were down to their final seven outs in the contest. With runners on first and third, Dustin Pedroia hit an RBI single off Grant Balfour to get the Red Sox on the board. David Ortiz hit an ensuing three-run home run to cut the lead to 7-4. In the eighth inning, J. D. Drew hit a two-run homer to right field off Dan Wheeler. Later in the frame, Coco Crisp ripped an RBI single to right field to score Mark Kotsay from second to tie the game at seven.

J.P. Howell retired the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth. Then, Kevin Youkilis hit a grounder to Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, who fired the ball into the stands, allowing Youkilis to advance to second. The error proved costly as two batters later, Drew hit a game-winning single over the head of right fielder Gabe Gross to win the game.

The Red Sox lost the series in seven games to the up-start Rays but the reminiscences of the Game 5 rally will be engraved in Sox fans hearts forever. 

2. 2002 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 3- Boston Celtics Defeat New Jersey Nets 94-90

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The Boston Celtics entered the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals down 74-53 to the New Jersey Nets in front of their home crowd.

A distraught Paul Pierce saw Nets’ reserves laughing at his team on the bench. Before the quarter started, Antoine Walker got up in Pierce’s face during the huddle to motivate him and to tell him to stop feeling sorry for himself. Pierce, the Celtics’ captain and budding superstar, missed 12 of his 14 shots through the first three periods.

Pierce seemed like a new player in the fourth quarter, driving to the rim recklessly as he scored with ease in the paint via nifty layups. 

He scored three baskets from inside during an 11-0 run that got the crowd back into the game and cut the Nets' lead to 74-64. 

Celtics forward Rodney Rodgers connected on a pair of free throws with 3:12 remaining to put the Celtics within six, 88-82. Later, Pierce trimmed the lead to three, 90-87, after driving in for his sixth layup of the quarter. After Nets guard Kerry Kittles missed a 3-pointer, Pierce was fouled going to the basket with 46 seconds left. He made both shots, giving the Celtics their first lead (91-90) since taking an early, 1-0 advantage in the opening minute. 

With the C's up one, Kittles had the ball swiped away by Celtics guard Kenny Anderson, who scooped up the loose ball and finished the layup on the other end.

The Celtics won 94-90 putting the crowd at the Fleet Center into a frenzy. New Jersey shot 4-for-22 with six turnovers in the final 12 minutes, while Boston was 11-for-19 from the field and 18-for-21 from the line. Pierce scored 19 of his game-best 28 points in the fourth quarter. 

The Celtics rallied from a 27-point deficit in the third quarter to win and complete the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history.

1. 2008 NBA Finals Game 4- Boston Celtics Defeat Los Angeles Lakers 97-91

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The Celtics were up two games to one in the NBA Finals against their rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers entered the game with an extreme sense of urgency and pounded the C’s in the first quarter, jumping out to a 35-14 lead, the largest first-quarter lead in NBA Finals history.  The Celtics appeared doomed as they trailed by 18 points at halftime. By the midway point of the third quarter, the Lakers had increased their lead to 24 over the Celtics.

The Celtics decided to insert Eddie House into the game at this point. House knocked down two three-pointers amid a dominating 21-3 Celtics run to end the third quarter. The Celtics had seized the momentum in the game, down by just two, 73-71, to start the final quarter. Eddie House gave the Celtics their first lead of the game with an 18-foot jumper with 4:07 remaining.  The Celtics led by two with under two minutes in regulation when James Posey knocked down the dagger, a three-pointer from the corner that gave Boston a 92-87 lead. The Celtics bench outscored the Lakers bench 35–15, 29 of those points coming from House and Posey.  Ray Allen scored 19, Kevin Garnett posted 16 points and corralled 11 rebounds, while Pierce added a game-high 20 points of his own in the unfathomable comeback.

The Celtics' victory in Game 4 was the largest comeback in an NBA Finals game since 1971. The Celtics won Game 4 and eventually beat the Lakers in six games to win their first NBA Championship in 22 years, as the franchise won its NBA-best 17^th title, a season after finishing with the second-worst record in the league.