Four games gone in the Eastern Conference finals, and now the Bucks say they'll change their style. No more Mr. Nice Guys, they say. We don't like the Sixers, they all agree. We'll be more physical the rest of the series, they promise. The question: Is this change of attitude a game too late?

Had the Bucks come in with that mentality for Monday's Game Four, maybe they'd be up 3-1 with visions of how they'd spend their off time in Los Angeles, where the finals start next Wednesday. Instead, the Bucks did not have the killer instinct to put away the wounded Sixers, losing their homecourt advantage in the process. Now they face the prospect of winning at least one game at the First Union Center in Philadelphia to win the series.

The Bucks have spent the last two days whining about the fouls they haven't received. Glenn Robinson has barked the loudest, wondering how he can play four games and take 77 shots and not shoot a single free throw.

Hey, Dog, your complaints are valid. But the Sixers can make the same complaints, considering the officials are allowing physical play on both ends. If you want to shoot more free throws, then stop settling for mid- to long-range baskets and take it to the basket and draw some contact. The reason why Philadelphia has a 106-61 advantage in free throw attempts is because they take it to the rim -- and they take it strong.

The Bucks should try to exploit their size advantage over Allen Iverson. After getting scorched by Ray Allen in the first two games, Iverson returned in Game Four and spent most of the afternoon defending Sam Cassell. In Cassell, you have one of the NBA's most heady players who would be effective in backing down the smaller Iverson in the lane. Yet the Bucks failed to capitalize because they were, of course, shooting jumpers. Cassell is one of the best players in the league in drawing fouls and, at the least, he can get to the line and begin chipping away at his team's free throw disparity.

Also, Allen and Robinson have to become less predictable. If they want to get to the line, they're going to have to overcome their fear of Dikembe Mutombo and take it to the basket. Allen and Robinson also have to be more aggressive: the fact that Robinson had just four shot attempts in the fourth quarter on Monday and Allen just three is telling. Milwaukee's only shot at winning is if their best players have the courage to take shots when the game's on the line.

Speaking of shots, it'll be interesting to see if the Allen elbow that caught Iverson in the face causes some bad blood in Game Five. The elbow left Iverson sprawled on the court, and led to a loosened tooth; Iverson spent Tuesday at the dentist being fitted for a mouthpiece. Iverson, within earshot of Allen after the play, could be seen screaming something to a friend seated courtside, across from Philadelphia's bench. What did Iverson say? According to Allen, that he'd be looking for payback. "He thinks I did it intentionally, and you guys know I wouldn't do anything like that," said Allen. "I will defend myself next time when we go out there on the floor."

Sounds good on paper, but the Bucks only get back in this series if they can carry that tough talk on the floor. They have to put Iverson on his backside, repeatedly. And the Bucks must put a body on Mutombo to limit his rebounding dominance. It can't possibly be that hard, when looking to box out, to find the guy who stands 7'2".

Milwaukee's averaging 85 points per game this series, 16 below what they averaged during the regular season. Clearly the game -- and the defensive intensity -- has changed during the playoffs. Now the Bucks, a jump-shooting team with the rep of being soft, have to adapt. Like a skilled actor, they'll have to go out of character and get nasty. In this series, the toughest team will advance. Can the Bucks be tough enough?

Jerry Bembry is covering the NBA playoffs for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at jerry.bembry@espnmag.com.