MIAMI -- At shootaround Tuesday morning ahead of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, Marcus Smart had a message for the Miami Heat:
"Don't let us get one," Smart said. "Just don't let us get one."
It was quite a statement to make, given the Celtics entered Game 4 in a 3-0 hole in this best-of-7 series -- a deficit that 150 teams have faced over the course of NBA history and not one of them had successfully recovered from.
But, a few hours later, Smart and the Celtics followed through on their part of the bargain, claiming a 116-99 victory over Miami, sending this series back to Boston for Game 5 Thursday with the Celtics now three more victories away from history.