Celtics (16-2) Down Bucks

Team Moves to 16-2

MILWAUKEE Naturally, it was Dennis Johnson. With a tough game on the line, he is the one the Celtics like to see with the ball in his hands.

It was a familiar story last night in a 112-109 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks here. Kevin McHale led the Celtics in scoring with 29 points. But that seemed secondary when compared to clutch three-point effort by DJ with 1:37 left, accomplished with a crowd of 11,052 and Milwaukee's Paul Pressey screaming at him.

His 19-foot fadeway jumper from the right side wiped out a 107-104 Milwaukee lead. Johnson was fouled on the play and sank a free throw to create a tie. From there, the Celtics found it almost easy to overcome a 108-107 lead provided by a Ricky Pierce free throw 11 seconds later.

McHale put Boston ahead to stay with a jump hook, 109-108. Then Boston's defense forced a 24-second violation and Johnson finished the Bucks off with a driving layup with 26 seconds left to hand Milwaukee its first home-court loss of the season.

In fact, it was the first loss for the Central Division leaders in 24 straight games here. Johnson, who added a free throw with four seconds left, hit seven of 10 shots and finished with 16 points as the Celtics won their eighth straight.

"Seems to me he's done that to Milwaukee before," said the Celtics' Scott Wedman. "I can remember a couple of clutch shots against them with a hand right in his face. He likes that situation."

Johnson, who was playing most of the fourth quarter with five fouls, said he took the shot because it was there, and it was no time to be timid.

"The shot came off a busted play that we were running," said Johnson. "We went down to Larry (Bird) and he got tangled. The ball jolted loose. He pushed it out to me and I got free on it. The jumper was there.

"I will take it if it's there. I've missed a lot in my career but I know I will make some. Besides, I wasn't really shooting that badly."

Johnson said the 24-second violation on the next sequence was just as important.

"That was probably the best defense we played all night," he said. "What I think happened was they were behind and the crowd was making so much noise that nobody paid attention to the clock. People were out there saying 'shoot the ball, shoot the ball.' But by the time they did, time had expired."

This was one of those NBA games that isn't decided until the final two minutes. But if you waited that long to show up, you missed a classic duel of division leaders. Boston hadn't won here in two years, and the Bucks (15-7) seemingly have their best team since the Bob Lanier era. If it wasn't Pressey (28 points) giving the Celtics fits, it was Terry Cummings (25) or Sidney Moncrief (22).

The Celtics had their problems. Robert Parish (1 for 7) disappeared on offense and had but three rebounds. But it hardly seemed that way early as Boston once led by 15 points, 50-35.

But that was before the Bucks went on a 23-10 run to close the second period and cut the Boston lead to 60-58. Cummings had 18 of his 25 points in the first half. Celtics coach K.C. Jones, his roster reduced to 10 players again, went to his bench late in the third period, and what had been a 79-73 lead was turned into an 85-84 deficit.

With the lead gone, Boston went back to basics. Bird and McHale returned, and the inside game began to work. A clutch basket by Rick Carlisle and two free throws by Bird got Boston an 88-84 lead. McHale hit two straight and Boston led, 92-89. Milwaukee came right back to tie the game at 94 on a three- point play by Pierce with 6:54 to play.

Milwaukee took the lead at 96-94 on a fast-break hoop by Sidney Moncrief. But McHale hit a jump hook and Bird finished off the Celtic gold rush with a 14-footer and Boston led with 5:03 left, 98-96.

Milwaukee fell behind, 102-99, and then rallied for a 105-102 lead with 2:27 left, with Pressey and Moncrief leading the way. But they couldn't hold Boston down.

"One thing about Dennis," said Jones. "He's always been a player that plays bigger than 6-4. He always comes up with the big play. We've come to expect it.

"You need luck to win a game like this and we got some. Course, there was the 24-second violation. Sometimes, you have to make your own luck.