Celtics vs. Knicks Game 4 Analysis And What Boston Has To Do To Extend The 2013 Playoffs Series

The Miami Heat roasted the Milwaukee Bucks in four games while the San Antonio Spurs finally put an end on the Lakers' tumultuous season by handing the franchise only its fourth playoff series loss without winning a single game.

These were the scenes around the NBA Sunday night. But with all the sweeps that took place, the Boston Celtics kept their chin up and mustered enough pride to extend their Eastern Conference first-round series with the New York Knick.

Yes, the Celtics are still alive and kicking. After three consecutive setbacks at the hands of the Knicks, Boston finally found a way to grind out a victory against Carmelo Anthony and company.

And Oh, the Celtics didn't' just win in Game 4, they might just have swung the momentum to their favor.

You see, it was a totally different Celtic team in Game 4. After being held below 80 points through the first three games of the series, the Celtics finally stepped up on the offensive end of the floor and knocked down baskets with better accuracy.

Jeff Green, arguably the MVP for the Celtics in the series, delivered usual numbers for his team with 26 points and 6 boards, but it was the outstanding play of Paul Pierce and Jason Terry that really changed the outcome.

Shut down for most of the series, Pierce exploded for 29 points on 9-for-20 shooting from the field and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line to spearhead the Celtics offense in Game 4. Meanwhile, Terry finally woke up from a long slumber just in time as he recorded 9 of his 18 points in the overtime period. But even before Terry's late-game theatrics, the Celtics dominated the play early on. Doc Rivers' coaching adjustment was evident in the first half when the Celtics pounded the ball inside and got more opportunity to score from the foul line.

The Celtics shot 44.7 percent from the field and converted 88 percent of their free-throw attempts. On the other hand, the previously hot-shooting Knicks was held down to 34 percent field goal shooting and 23 percent from the three-point line. Anthony produced 36 points, but the shot-happy forward just made 10 of his 35 field goal attempts and turned the ball over seven times - an evidence of how great the Celtics defense was on Sunday

Crunching the numbers in Game 4, this only means that the Celtics might have found the solution to contain the Knicks mercurial offense. Of course, the Knicks didn't have J.R Smith - the Sixth Man of the Year who was suspended for elbowing Terry in Game 3 - on the floor in that game, but the Celtics really took a different approach this time around.

Despite losing Ray Allen to the Miami Heat in the offseason, the Celtics still have a tough crop of veterans to take the charge in pressure-packed situations. 

Keep in mind that the Knicks have a great opportunity to wrap up the series in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. A win would give them their first playoff series win in over a decade while a loss puts them in dangerous territory as the C's aim to become the first team to climb back from a 3-0 hole and win the series.

Is it Knicks' destiny or a history in the making for the Celtics?