NBA Finals: Celtics lead 57-53 entering 4th

Last quarter of the season awaits. Celtics lead 57-53 with 12 minutes remaining.

Kobe Bryant is 5 for 20 from the field, and the Lakers are still very much in this thing, despite shooting 31 percent. Hey, that’s actually an improvement!

There has been no offensive rhythm to this thing whatsoever, which makes you wonder if there is going to be that one stretch of scoring that ultimately decides the 2010 NBA champion.

The fourth quarter has been, by far, the roughest for the Lakers throughout the playoffs. They’re shooting just 41.5 percent in the fourth during the postseason, compared with at least 46 percent in every other quarter.

Derek Fisher returned to the Lakers’ bench with 45 seconds left in the third, by the way.