1986 Walton 10-Game Report Card

Given a chance to play in meaningful games for the first time since 1978, Bill Walton has responded with the enthusiasm of his youth. One of the best products of a lost generation, he has been given new life in Celtic green.The consumer can only be delighted. It's like reading a new book by J.D. Salinger or hearing a new hit song by Bob Dylan.

Many of Walton's teammates and rivals are discovering him for the first time. "I had never seen him play until this year," kids Kevin McHale. "Except maybe once on black-and-white TV."The grainy footage of Walton's 21-for-22 masterpiece vs. Memphis State in the 1973 NCAA final is ancient history for today's NBA youth.


Karl Malone and Xavier McDaniel probably know almost as much about George Mikan as Bill Walton.After all the years of broken bones and broken promises, there are still moments of perfect karma when Bill Walton is At One with the basket. It is then that his teammates and fans see all the hope and joy that he brings to the game.The Celtic fandom experienced one such magic moment Friday night when Walton fired a still-unseen bullet pass to a streaking Danny Ainge for a layup.

Celtics have two of the most creative yet clinically perfect hoops artists of all time. Time and geography put their best games in different arenas in different decades, but this overlapping glimpse we're seeing makes one wonder what they would have done had they been in the same place at the same age at the same time. Accidents such as that produced the Beatles.Mention Bird's name to Cambridge Bill and it's as if you've just dropped a fireball into a jack-o'-lantern.

"I love playing with Larry," says Walton. "He's an unbelievable basketball player. I've only seen him on TV most of my career because we'd only see Boston twice a season. But he does so many things so well. He has great anticipation of the next play. I love that style."Between the 1978-79 and 1981-82 seasons, Walton played only 14 games, all in the '79-80 campaign. He was cloistered in Clipper blue - playing and practicing only when his brittle feet allowed.It has all changed.


He has missed only one Celtic practice (excused for personal reasons). He's been superb on the defensive boards, and has gotten back on defense as well as any Celtic big man. He also has played in all 10 games, averaging 20 minutes, 9.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1 block. Four games have come on the second night of back-to-back games. Walton didn't do back-to- back games during most of his Clipper tenure."The key so far has been my amount of minutes," says Walton.

I'm only playing 20 minutes. I know what I can do to still perform, and the key is minutes in games. My problems in the past have been stress in my lower legs from game after game playing over 30 minutes."Oddly enough, Walton routinely missed practice even though he averaged only 24.5 minutes when he played in a career-high 67 games with the Clippers last year.

Apparently, his head and heart have made his feet more committed to the Celtics.Walton's presence is making Robert Parish a happier, more effective and more rested player. The Chief is averaging only 31 minutes (lowest since 1980-81), but is still giving the Celtics 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds. He's also running the floor like a 28 year-old pup.Walton was turnover-prone in his first week with Boston, but played his best games last Friday and Saturday. He scored 19 points with 9 rebounds in 28 minutes against the Bullets, then hit for 16 with 6 rebounds in 22 minutes the next night against the Pacers.

He made 7 of 10 shots in each game.Foul trouble has nagged Walton more than injuries. No one is sure why, at this juncture of his career, Walton is suddenly getting the Greg Kite treatment from the zebras. Boston's newest redhead is averaging over nine personal fouls for every 48 minutes of court time."It's a whole new thing to me," says Walton.Any theories?"Not for publication.""I can't understand it," says coach K.C. Jones. "It sticks out like a sore thumb and it's got to be frustrating him.

He plays aggressive basketball, and so do the guys he plays against, but he's not making anywhere near the number of fouls they're hitting him with."Everything else is fine. Walton doesn't even mind an occasional loss anymore. He knows it's an aberration. He knows there will be big games again.