Defense Is Key to Celtics’ Playoff Run

The Boston Celtics have a stifling defense and a whole lot of history on their side.

The Celtics, who hold a 3-1 series lead over the Detroit Pistons, are one victory away from advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1988.

Boston, which hadn’t made the postseason in seven years, has never lost a playoff series after leading, 3-1.

The Celtics will try to eliminate the Pistons tonight at Auburn Hills, Mich., using the same defensive game plan that held Detroit to a 73.3-point average the last three games.

Boston, which gave up 96 points in a Game 1 loss, kept the Pistons to 77, 64 and 79 points in the next three games.

The Pistons credit Boston’s strategy of taking away the middle, but they also blame too many unforced turnovers and missed shots.

“We don’t need to make any adjustments,” said Detroit’s Ben Wallace, the league’s defensive player of the year, who had 21 rebounds in each of the last two games. “We’re playing solid defense and getting good shots. We just haven’t been knocking them down.”

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Defense is also the constant that has put the New Jersey Nets within a victory of their first Eastern Conference finals.

In winning three of the first four games in the best-of-seven series against Charlotte, New Jersey has shut down the Hornets in the fourth quarter. Charlotte is 17 for 54 from the field in the fourth quarter.

“In the fourth quarter, we all understand what we have to do, and that’s get stops,” New Jersey’s Jason Kidd said. “I think we all have sacrificed in some way to do that. That’s what it takes, team defense in the fourth quarter, if you want to win.”