Celtics Stun Lakers in Game 4

In their comeback season, the Celtics saved the biggest one of all for the NBA finals. Boston rallied from a 24-point deficit and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 97-91 tonight to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and move within one victory of a 17th championship. Paul Pierce scored 20 points, Kevin Garnett had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Ray Allen had 19 to lead the way for Boston.

A rivalry between the league's two most storied franchises now has its biggest rally. No team had ever overcome more than a 15-point deficit in the first quarter, and although the league doesn't have a record for the largest rally in a finals game, the Celtics staged one that will forever be remembered in the annals of Celtics-Lakers lore. They trailed by 20 late in the third quarter. (More Los Angeles Lakers stories.)