Celtics vs. 76ers: Game 4 TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

The Boston Celtics had a tall order facing them on Wednesday against the Philadelphia 76ers: Compensate for the mental errors and futility that saddled them with a Game 2 loss and take a series lead with a road win in Philly.

Somewhat surprisingly, Boston dominated the Sixers, 107-91, to take a 2-1 series lead. Kevin Garnett took over the game after a lackluster performance the last time out, putting up 27 points and 13 rebounds and making up for the illegal screen he set in the final seconds of Game 2 that cost the Celtics the game.

A win in Game 4 will give the Celtics some leeway—and some confidence—entering the tail end of this series. As a result, the pressure is on the Sixers, who have defied expectations by even getting this far but looked like a No. 8 seed on Wednesday.

If they don't get a win in Game 4, they're as good as done. Going back to Boston and facing a Celtics squad that's one win away from a spot in the conference finals will spell disaster.

Where: Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa.

When: Friday, May 18 at 8 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: NBA League Pass

Listen: WEEI 93.7 FM (Boston) and The Fanatic 97.5 FM (Philadelphia)

Betting Line: Celtics (-2)

Celtics Key Injuries (via ESPN.com) 

Mickael Pietrus is day-to-day with some swelling in his knee.

76ers Key Injuries (via ESPN.com) 

Thaddeus Young is day-to-day with a shin injury.

Elton Brand is day-to-day with a neck injury.

What They're Saying

It's been a given during this series that it's not going to be an offensive showdown. Neither team's strength is in its offense, so may the best defensive team win.

After a lackluster Game 2, the Celtics came out for Game 3 with that all-important, defense-first mindset. It took them a quarter to get into their defensive groove, but with a little over a minute remaining in the first quarter, they did, and they never looked back.

From the second quarter on, Boston held the Sixers to 20-of-60 from the field and held the Evan Turner-Andre Iguodala combo to just 14 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

That was the key to Boston's win, according to Boston.com's Gary Washburn: 

"

[Boston's] offense fed off the defensive intensity, and for the first time in the series, the Celtics consistently made shots. The Philadelphia misses led to fast-break opportunities, and the Celtics scored 21 points that way, which allowed Rondo to orchestrate the offense. … While the 76ers shot just 42.4 percent through the first two games, the Celtics knew they had slipped defensively in stretches. On Wednesday, they paid attention to detail from the beginning, and it was impressive. 

"

Most Important Player to Watch: Rajon Rondo

The Celtics looked lost when Rajon Rondo struggled in Game 2, putting up just eight points, 13 assists and seven rebounds and failing to register one of the infamous triple-doubles that seem to be the Celtics' key to a win.

That obviously wasn't the case against the Sixers on Wednesday, when he had 23 points, 14 assists and six rebounds with just one turnover. When Rondo is able to command the offense the way he's capable of, the Celtics go from being a below-average scoring team to a team that puts up 100-plus points per game, as they did on Wednesday.

With a player like Jrue Holliday on the other side of the ball, it's crucial that Rondo show up offensively and defensively if the Celtics have any intention of winning. He did that in Game 3, neutralizing one of the Sixers' X-factors and, as a result, keeping their entire team at bay.

Key Matchup: Paul Pierce vs. Andre Iguodala

When the Sixers managed to sneak past the Bulls and into the conference semis, Iguodala was the primary reason for it. In the first two games of this series, Iguodala combined for 32 points, 12 boards and 13 assists. But in Game 3, he was rendered totally ineffective, registering 10 points, four rebounds and two assists. No surprise, then, that the Sixers fell by 16 points.

Pierce, playing through a knee injury, managed to hold him to his worst offensive and defensive performance of the series, and while he wasn't the player whose stat line was the most impressive, he was the key component in making sure that Iguodala's wasn't, either. He, and the rest of the Sixers, couldn't contend with the Celtics defense.

Pierce's impact doesn't necessarily have to be felt on the scoreboard, but his performance is one of the most crucial.

Prediction

Celtics 87, 76ers 84