Celtics guard Marcus Smart is expected to be back following ab oblique injury. Not only does he provided needed help on the defensive end, but his overall energy tends to be contagious with his teammates. The Celtics have no choice but to be a maximum motivation for this critical Game 4. The Bucks have the better team but are due for a natural letdown spot after they did their job by ensuring at least a road split. Look for the desperate Celtics to answer the bell.

The Celtics get Marcus Smart back Monday, which should give the team a huge boost. Smart is their best defender and team leader. I'm banking on coach Brad Stevens making the correct adjustments to lead his team to a victory. Kyrie Irving was great in a Game 3 loss, but the rest of the team struggled. The Celtics' defense is the key to winning , and Smart will make a huge difference.

Marcus Smart should provide a defensive and emotional boost to a Celtics team that couldn't be more desperate. After the Greek Freak shot 22 free throws in Game 3, you can expect fewer whistles. Back Boston to even things up, and cover.

I don't have any great, in-depth analysis or trend for this pick. It's just the result of my belief that Milwaukee's the better team in this matchup, and that while Boston won Game 1, they have not had a single answer defensively in the last two games.

After Boston's Game 3 home loss, the Celtics are now 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 home games and it sent Milwaukee to 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 road games. The Bucks are currently on a 6-1 ATS run and I still think they're mad about their level of play in Game 1 when the Celtics caught them napping. I'm on the Bucks tonight.

The Celtics find themselves with their backs against the wall in Game 4. If they lose, they would be down 3-1 with the series shifting back to Milwaukee. This is a must-win and they could receive a significant jolt if Marcus Smart, who's listed as questionable, returns from his oblique injury. I think they rise to the occasion to win and cover this small line.

The last two games have gone Over on the total with ease. But my projections see this series going back to a defense-first mentality. Only 211 points are scored on average in my computer simulations, a full 10 points under the O/U here. The under hits in a shocking 74 percent of simulations, making it a very strong pick.