He Has Risen

Jesus Shuttleworth, aka Ray Allen, is back.

The jump shot always looks the same, but in the past few games the results have been disappointing. Up till today's game, his shots didn't look like they were going to fall. But today he shot the lights out, hitting five of six threes and hitting crucial shots down the stretch to help bring the Boston Celtics closer to the NBA Finals.

Hallelujah.

Unstoppable

Kobe Bryant and LA Lakers have been unstoppable in these playoffs. They're the only team left that hasn't lost at home. The possibility of them dropping two straight seems improbable. They're young. Athletic. Focused. Well-coached. Deep.

The fan in me believes the Boston Celtics can go all the way. But the guy who's been following the NBA the whole year knows differently. To beat the Lakers, you'll have to bring your A game, plus-plus––and hope they don't bring theirs––FOUR times.

Deep, deep down inside, I don't think that's possible.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Swagger

Some teams have it, some don't. The Boston Celtics had it during the regular season when they steamrolled over every team in the NBA. Since the playoffs started, however, they only seem to have the Swagger when playing at home. This means they only appear unbeatable on their home floor. For a team hoping to win a championship, that won't cut it.

The LA Lakers, on the other hand, have it. They've faced tougher competition, but have won each series convincingly. Now they have the defending champs on the ropes, and they have a look eerily similar to the Chicago Bulls of the nineties. The look that says "you can't beat us."

Make no mistake, I'm cheering for the Celtics all the way. But if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Kobe and Co.

Thoughts on Game 4

• If the Celtics win this, it's over.
• This should be the best game of the series. Boston knows if they win this, they can go home to wrap this series up. The Pistons know if they lose this on their home floor, they're going to be labeled underachievers. These are two teams with a lot of pride, so no quarter will be given, and none will be taken.
• Expect physical, nasty defense. The Pistons will try to trap ball handlers, which they did successfully to some extent in Game 3. The Celtics will continue to do what they've been doing, but will try to stay away from the cheap fouls that render big role players like Kendrick Perkins ineffective for long stretches of the game.
• Cassel will see some burn. Eddie House, with his shaky handle, is to vulnerable to the Pistons' traps.
• KG will be doubled. He's killed whoever's been on him.
• Pierce will score. With Detroit's D giving the Celtics' role players more attention, he's going to take matters into his own hands and take it to the hole.

Green is Gold

The Boston Celtics had a lot of doubters after dropping their first game at home. Then they win big in Detroit, outplaying the Pistons in almost every statistical category. The Big Three were replaced by the Big Bench, and it was Beautiful Basketball.

Just two games away from the NBA Finals, baby.