TV: TNT

• For the first time all season, Keith Bogans’ physical condition was a question mark Tuesday. Bogans, who started all 82 games at shooting guard for the Bulls this season, sat out shootaround Tuesday because of a sore right ankle. But Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Bogans would play against the Hawks in Game Five. Bulls small forward Luol Deng also played and started all 82 games for the team this season.
• Confusion over the differing roles held by Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson and general manager Gar Forman reared its ugly head Tuesday when the NBA announced that Forman and Miami Heat president Pat Riley tied for NBA Executive of the Year. When Paxson received his promotion and promoted Forman to G.M. a couple of years ago, Chicago radio stations took to calling them “Gar Paxman” or “John Forson” to note the two-headed nature of the front office. On Tuesday, it was announced that while Forman and Riley tied with 11 votes apiece, Paxson received three votes himself, effectively keeping Forman from winning the award outright. Jerry Krause won the award for the Bulls in 1988 and 1996.
• The Bulls take pride in never losing more than two games in a row, and pointed to that fact during the week to indicate that they bounce back well from adversity. But the Bulls did once lose three out of four games during the regular season, which they would also do if the Hawks manage to win two of the final three games in this series to move on to the Eastern Conference finals. After starting the season 2-3, in late November and early December the Bulls lost three of four, dropping games at Denver, at home against Orlando and then at Boston. They squeezed a win at Sacramento in between those losses. But the Bulls lost only five times all season at home, and before dropping a home game to Atlanta in this season opener their previous home loss was back on March 28 against Philadelphia.
• Based on the success of his team’s performance in Game Four, Atlanta coach Larry Drew decided to once again start his big lineup Tuesday. Jason Collins starts again with Al Horford, Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Jeff Teague.

– Kent McDill

TV: TNT

• The Oklahoma City locker room was somber, to say the least, after Saturday’s loss to Memphis in which the Thunder squandered a 16-point third quarter lead and lost in overtime. Coach Scott Brooks said he expects his team to be ready to try to tie the series at 2-2 tonight and regain homecourt advantage. “They always take it hard,” Brooks said. “I think that’s the reason they always come back and usually play much better the next night. I’m hoping that happens again tonight. We’ve got a pretty strong group, very resilient. They have to keep getting better and keep improving.”
• Brooks said forward Serge Ibaka’s ankle that he injured in Game 3 is fine and that the Thunder’s shot-blocking big man will be ready to go. Ibaka participated in today’s shootaround with no problems.
• Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said he liked the defensive job guard O.J. Mayo did on Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook on Saturday. Westbrook committed five of his seven turnovers in the fourth quarter and in overtime. But Hollins said Mike Conley will resume his assignment of guarding Westbrook to start the game and Mayo will continue to come off the bench. “It just depends on the matchup and how things are going. It was mainly because Mike was going to stay in the game and we needed to give him a blow. It turned out to be pretty good. It’s something we’ll look at and if he’s hurting Mike, then yeah, we’ll look to make a change.”
• Earlier today, Grizzlies guard Tony Allen was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, a first for both Allen and the Grizzlies’ franchise. Allen has shown his value in this series. According to ESPN Stats and Info, while being guarded by Allen, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant is shooting 5 of 24 (.208) in the series. Durant was 2 of 11 against Allen in Game 3.

– Marlon W. Morgan

TV: TNT

• Rajon Rondo will suit up and start for Boston during Game 4, despite suffering a dislocated left elbow during the third quarter of Game 3 after a collision with Dwyane Wade. A elbow dislocation could normally sideline a player for months, but Rondo will attempt to play through the pain. He will wear a brace on his left arm for protection. Doc Rivers is unsure just how much his All-Star point guard will be able to do on the floor. “He looked okay this morning, it’s very similar to Shaq, where you have to look with your eyes and make a decision.” Rivers explained. “I think he will be okay though.”      

• With Rondo’s effectiveness up in the air, Carlos Arroyo will dress for the first time this postseason in place of Troy Murphy. The former Heat starter gives Rivers a third active point guard on the roster, and some insurance for both Rondo and Delonte West, who injured his left shoulder in the first half of Game 3. West will suit up despite the shoulder problems according to Rivers. In addition, Shaquille O’Neal, who continues to battle a right calf sprain, will be active and expected to play for the second straight game.

• Celtics starters Kevin Garnett and Rondo were both voted by head coaches around the league onto the NBA All-Defensive first team. It was Rondo’s second straight selection, and the 9th overall for Garnett, which ties the power forward for the most selections in NBA history. LeBron James was also voted onto the first team by the coaches for the third consecutive season.     
  

• Heat veteran Udonis Haslem will dress tonight for Miami for the first time since November 20th. The power forward underwent surgery in November to repair ligament damage in his left foot, and has spent nearly the past six months rehabbing the injury on the possibility he could help his Heat teammates this postseason. “I feel like I’ll be able to contribute something. I don’t know if it will be a couple shots or rebounds,” Haslem said before the game. “I still have a ways to go. I may not even play tonight, but I’ll be ready.

• Head coach Erik Spoelstra remained quiet during the pregame on any potential changes to the Miami starting lineup, but Joel Anthony will replace Zydrunas Illgauskas at the center spot for the Heat.

– Brian Robb

TV: TNT

• In an attempt to be more competitive on the boards, the Hawks are starting their “big” lineup of Josh Smith and Al Horford at the forwards, Jason Collins at center and Joe Johnson and Jeff Teague at guard. Tonight will be the first time this combination will start together with Jeff Teague at the point. The Hawks were 10-7 with Mike Bibby, and 1-1 with Kirk Hinrich at the point.
• Jamal Crawford was held without a 3-pointer for the first time in the 2011 playoffs in Game 3. Crawford has been held in check by Chicago, having made only three of 11 attempts (27.3 percent), after shooting nearly 46 percent in the first round against Orlando (17-for-37). The Hawks were 5-10 during the regular season in games in which Crawford was held scoreless from three.
• Tonight’s game will be the third time that the Bulls and Hawks have met in a Game 4. The Bulls have won the previous two, winning in the 1996-97 Eastern Conference second round (89-80, in Atlanta), and in the 1969-70 Western Division semifinals (131-120, in Chicago).
• Derrick Rose became the first player on either team to hit the 40-point plateau in the 16 games and three-plus series between the Bulls and Hawks. Michael Jordan came closest, going for 39 in a 98-88 series-clinching Game 3 victory in Atlanta on May 4, 1993.
• Taj Gibson came off the bench in Game 3 to grab seven offensive rebounds, two more than he had in his seven previous playoff games combined and only two fewer than the entire Hawks team.

– Jon Cooper

TV: ABC

• Lakers forward Ron Artest returns to the lineup after serving a one-game suspension for clotheslining Mavericks guard J.J. Barea near the end of Game 2. Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle, who coached Artest for three seasons with the Pacers, said he expects him to have a big game. “He’s always played well after being suspended,” Carlisle said.
• The Lakers are battling history. Teams trailing 3-0 have never won a best-of-seven NBA playoff series. All 98 teams that faced that deficit were eliminated, including 57 sweeps. Head coach Phil Jackson, who could be coaching his last game, admits it’s a “tall thing to climb,” but says the two-time defending champions have one thing in their favor. “Experience,” he said. “A lot of experience in tough games.”
• This is the third time Dallas has been up 3-0 in the postseason. The Mavericks swept Memphis (and then-Grizzly Pau Gasol) in the first round in 2006, but they needed seven games to get past Portland in the opening round in 2003. The team is neither overconfident nor comfortable, Carlisle said. “We’re in the position that we are because we’ve been humble and we’ve taken it one step at a time,” he said. “That’s not going to change. We have too much respect for the opponent.”
• The Mavericks’ bench outscored the Lakers’ reserves 112-52 in the first three games. Because it’s an elimination game, L.A. likely won’t give its subs as many minutes as usual in Game 4. “Kobe [Bryant] wants to play 48,” Jackson said.

– Dave Ivey

TV: ABC

• Shaquille O’Neal will make his long-awaited playoff debut off the bench for the Boston Celtics tonight in Game 3. Shaq has not seen action since April 3rd when he sprained his right calf against Detroit. That was O’Neal’s sole appearance in action since February, as a sore Achilles’ has the 39-year-old hobbled for months. Boston coach Doc Rivers did not know what to expect before the game from his former starting center. “With him, it will be the eye test and whatever you think he can give you,” Rivers said. “I don’t think he can hurt us. The only way he will hurt us is if he can’t move [around.]” With O’Neal’s return, point guard Carlos Arroyo will be inactive for Boston. 
  

• Paul Pierce will also be available tonight for Boston despite suffering a sprained left foot which forced him to miss a large portion of the first half in Game 2. Rivers is looking for Pierce and his teammates to attack the basket in Game 3, to help themselves dig out of a 2-0 hole. “I don’t think we have played with any force this series. We have to do that tonight,” Rivers said. 
  

• Despite O’Neal’s return, Miami will keep big man Erick Dampier inactive. The center had not seen action through Miami’s first seven postseason games, but Miami coach Erik Spoelstra considered using the former starter this week to help combat O’Neal’s size. Ultimately, he decided to stick to his rotation. Nonetheless, the head coach still believes Shaq will have a big effect on the game. “He’ll change their rotation,” Spoelstra said. “There will be a lot more physicality and a bigger presence under the rim with him in there.”

• The Heat have not won in their past 10 trips to the TD Garden, dating all the way back to 2006. The starting center in their last victory in Boston? None other than Shaquille O’Neal. Despite the rigorous challenge, Spoelstra expects his team to respond well to the Celtics’ sense of urgency. “We revel in that type of environment,” Spoelstra explained. “It sparks the team’s enthusiasm and focus. If we are going to win, we have to be on the top of our game.”

– Brian Robb