Celtics prove fourth quarter charm again

The Celtics were playing terrible on Saturday night, and on my ride home from a long year of school, I got so discouraged at listening to Paul Pierce missing field goal after field goal that I ended up listening to my one of my CDs.

I decided to listen to the game one more time after I had listened to about nine tracks.

At that point, it was about half way through the third quarter, and the New Jersey Nets had extended the lead to 25 points.

That's when I let my father take charge of the music system, and it was up to the tune of Dire Straits to get the Celtics back into the game.

The car parked in the garage and I had no idea what the score was, and frankly, I hate to admit it, but I had given up on my team.

My mother said, "Wow, have you been listening to this comeback," and all I did was laugh. Then I saw for myself that with about seven minutes to play, the Celtics had cut the Nets' lead down to a 14-point game.

The Nets' lead slowly began to vanish down to six points, five points, and then after a very important offensive rebound from Antoine Walker, Pierce scored his 14th point of the fourth quarter to put the Celtics within three.

I got excited as the lead went to one after Pierce's two free throws forced Nets' Coach Byron Scott to call a timeout with 1:05 to play in the fourth quarter.

Then as the Nets Kenyon Martin fouled out, sending Pierce to the line, I felt even more excitement.

Pierce made two to give the Celtics their first lead since they lead 1-0 after Eric William's free throw.

"The Jungle" that is the Fleet Center erupted after Kenny Anderson stole the ball and scored a basket that Kerry Kittles was called for goaltending.

Scott called his third timeout in a minute and a half, and the arena became even louder.

The lead was now three points with 29.8 seconds left...for the Celtics.

Walker rejected Keith van Horn's three point attempt, Pierce gobbled up the rebound, and the Nets fouled him with 17.6 seconds left.

At this point I felt like I could turn the television off and feel good, rather than how I felt when I turned the radio off, which now seemed like eons ago.

The Celtics have been a fourth quarter team all year long.

Pierce scored 44 out of his 46 points in the second half in a game earlier this season against the Nets.

As a Celtics fan, I am hoping the Celtics use the same energy as they continue on in the Eastern Conference Finals, and I am hoping not to have to go through the same anxiety.

However, if it means that I get to see another Celtics victory in the end, I will be satisfied.