After three games that have featured a different star performer every night, the stage is set for Paul Pierce to take his star turn Thursday night.

"It's time to rise to the challenge," Paul said Wednesday. "We're in a 1-2 hole. I'm not playing well. I have to play better. I'm just going to have to accept the challenge."

Paul has averaged 16.3 points and five rebounds per game, to go along with a total of 10 assists. But he was limited by fouls in Game 3, a fate he knows he has to avoid at all costs.

"I definitely want to help our team win and just by being out there on the court, that helps our team," No. 34 said. "When I go out there and I'm in foul trouble, it's difficult, which was the case in Game 3," The Truth said. "As far as helping my team win, that's what I'm trying to do every night. I try to do as much as I can, as much as possible. I take as much responsibility as I can to help this team win. I'll do more if they need me to do more. Obviously I probably have to do more if we're going to win."

Defensively, Paul has locked down Lakers forward Ron Artest, who, after scoring 15 points in LA's Game 1 win, has scored a combined total of eight points in the last two games. The Truth was also crucial in help defense on Kobe Bryant in Tuesday's Game 3 as the Celtics forced Bryant into a dreadful fourth quarter. It forced the Lakers to find other scoring options, which, unfortunately for Boston, they did.

"I think I'm doing a pretty good job defensively, trying to do the other things to help this ballclub win," No. 34 said. "Obviously, we all can play better. When you lose two games and you don't shoot the ball well and you don’t do some of these other things well, you question if you can do more, obviously. I probably can do a little more to help this ballclub. But it's going to be a team thing. It's not about one individual. It's a combination of us that has to step up for this team to win."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers believes Paul is primed to step up as long as the team puts him in the right position to do so.

"If we get Paul in rhythm and get him on his spots, I feel very confident that Paul will have big games the rest of this series," Rivers said. "He's not going to keep missing those. I like Paul's shots. He needs to make them, no doubt about that, but I really like Paul's shots and he has the ability to get shots."

Paul said that watching video on Wednesday of Game 3 made him even more angry with the result and he has encouraged everybody to raise their play to achieve their ultimate goal.

"When you get into a Finals situation, where it's everything, when you lose a game, it's frustrating," The Truth said. "You look at the tape and you see the things that you're doing wrong, that you could have done better and it's very frustrating. All summer before the season starts, you put so much into it for these moments right here. When you lose a game for little things, that's why it hurts so bad. As far as, extra motivation for the next game, I don't have any extra motivation, my motivation is at an all-time high just to be in this situation, have the opportunity to win another championship."

Game 4 of the NBA Finals tips tonight from TD Garden in Boston and the game can be seen at 9 p.m. on ABC.

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