Just as everyone was getting ready to write off the Boston Celtics and, effectively, the Big Three era following Boston's worst home playoff loss in franchise history in Game 3, a transcendent performance from Rajon Rondo changed everything.

Now, with Boston's 97-87 win in Game 4, the second-round series is tied 2-2 with two games to play in Cleveland. It's certainly not Boston's dream situation, but it's infinitely more manageable than the death knell of a 3-1 deficit.

"Nobody wants to be a part of history from a losing effort," Tony Allen said. "Everybody was looking at film yesterday and was down on themselves. Today they came out and just wanted to turn that negative energy that we had last game into something big today."

Rondo was more than big, deserving of every superlative that will be lavished upon him. His 29 points, 13 assists and 18 rebounds all came within the flow of the game that he dominated, and it's just the third time in league history those numbers have appeared in a playoff box score.

"The best way for us as a team to start a fast break is when I rebound," Rondo said. "I had a mind set to just try to help the bigs on the boards. I just try to get as many as possible."

What's been true for Boston all season is that no matter how well Rondo is playing, no matter how well he is scoring against a defense basically begging him to shoot a jumper, the Celtics need someone else to provide fourth-quarter scoring.

They got it from unlikely sources.

"[Rondo's] a good player so you have to give credit where credit is due, but one player can't beat us," Mo Williams said.

Out of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics got four points on eight shots in the fourth quarter. Out of Tony Allen and Glen Davis? Make that 11 points on five shots, all of them layups.

"Individually, Cleveland's pretty good," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We're not going to win that match. But collectively, as a team, we have a shot. We have a chance. And we have to stay that way."

With the Cavaliers having recovered from a double-digit deficit to take a temporary lead in the third quarter, the Celtics appeared to be on the verge of what's become their customary second-half collapse. The game was slowing down, the Celtics had various components in foul trouble and the crowd was anxious.

Then, Tony Allen and Davis joined Rondo in the three-pronged fast break, each of them passing in transition, running the wings, avoiding LeBron James' expected chasedown blocks and scoring, scoring, scoring. Less than four minutes into the final quarter, the Celtics were back up by 12.

"They may be one of the older teams but Rondo is one of the youngest players in the playoffs," James said. "It doesn't matter if those guys are running with him, he's getting the ball up the floor."

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