Celtics coach Brad Stevens expects his team to relish a best-of-three shootout after its lead in the Eastern Conference finals was wiped out by the Cavaliers.

The Celtics opened up a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series, but now find themselves even at 2-2 after Cleveland won, 111-102, in Game 4 on Monday.

Asked what his message for his players was heading into Game 5 back in Boston, Stevens replied: "It's the best two out of three to go to the NBA Finals. It doesn't get better than that."

He added: "Anybody that didn't think this was going to be tough … everything is tough.

"In this deal it's a blast to have to grit your teeth, get up off the mat and go after it again. That's part of it, that's part of what makes these guys on both sides special, it's part of what makes the Western Conference teams special.

"They're able to do it, they're able to block out everything that doesn't matter and go compete. And that's what we'll go and do."

LeBron James was the star of the show in Monday's game, the three-time NBA Finals MVP scoring 44 points.