Boston Celtics: 3 guys that saved the season in the 4th quarter of Game 4

The Boston Celtics saved their season in the fourth quarter of Game 4 last night against the Milwaukee Bucks. After trailing by as much as 11 late in the third quarter, it seemed like the Celtics were destined to head home down 3-1 in a best of seven series against the defending champs.

Instead, Boston rallied and won the fourth quarter 43-28, sending the series back to Boston tied up at two apiece. It’s clear that the C’s won this game in the fourth quarter, but who stepped up the most with the game on the line? Let’s take a look at the three players who did.

Boston Celtics star No. 3: Marcus Smart

Lost in the madness of the fourth quarter was a really stellar closing effort from Marcus Smart. Smart finished the game with 18 points, half of which he scored in the fourth quarter. While you probably didn’t hear Smart’s name a ton during the final frame, his impact was hard to miss when Boston was putting the finishing touches on the game.

Smart hit a clutch three early in the quarter to help erase the seven point deficit the team found itself faced with entering the quarter, and he dropped in another basket to help extend the Celtics lead. Towards the end of the quarter, right when it seemed like the Bucks were about to make a run back into the game, Smart hit a huge shot in the paint to extend Boston’s lead back to eight, which effectively ended the game.

Smart would hit another tough layup a minute later to ice the game, and while it may seem like a minimal impact, Boston probably doesn’t win this without Smart’s outing in the fourth. Him and Derrick White took turns controlling the offense, and Milwaukee simply had no answers. It was just another example of how Smart has developed into the point guard Boston has needed him to be for so long.