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Lakers vs. Celtics NBA Finals Game 4 odds had Boston as the -3 ½ favorite at Bookmaker.com. Action was nearly even for both sides on this game heading into Wednesday night, nearly 24 hours prior to game time. The series is led 2-1 by the Lakers.
Boston head coach Doc Rivers spent much of the day Wednesday complaining about the officiating.
"I think it was a ton of moving screens they got away with," Rivers said the day after the Celtics 91-84 loss to the Lakers in Game 3 put the Celtics behind 2-1 in the best-of-se series. "As far as off-the-ball action ... you are not allowed to hold, you are not allowed to bump, and you are not allowed to impede progress. I read that this morning, and I'm positive of it. So, you know, when that happens it has to be called."
Derek Fisher scored just 5 points in the first three quarters, but had 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the fourth quarter.
"I think as you grow in this game and you put in the work that's required to still be around 14 years later, you start to recognize that being in this moment, on this stage, it's not a given. It's not something that happens every season," Fisher said. "Five or 10 years from now, when I'm long gone, I would have hated to feel like I didn't just do everything I could have to help my team. Things have worked out well, and we have two more wins to get to really put a nice cap on it."
Ray Allen missed all 13 shots he took from the field. It was just the second time in his playoff career in which he did not make a field goal.
The Lakers started a 15-1 run in the first quarter to take the lead, which they never relinquished despite the Celtics fighting to within one in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles improved to 8-0 this postseason when allowing less than 100 points.
Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
