1990-91 Boston Celtics
Remembering the 29-5 Start
Potential for disaster was there, staring the Celtics right in the face.
Charles Barkley was on one of his fourth-quarter rampages and a 19-point lead had been reduced to 5. The Celtics had gone from precision to confusion and, true to their kinder, gentler nature, were hoisting the Sixers back on their feet after having flattened them time and again.
But if the Celtics give and take, they also seem to have something left at the end to give one more time. And they chose this appropriate time to rip Philadelphia with a 13-2 run and went on to take a 115-105 victory last night.
It was Boston's fifth straight victory, its 11th in a row at home and its 16th in 18 games. The Celtics now lead the Sixers by four games in the Atlantic Division and joined Portland in the 20-victory club.
The Celtics exuded balance. Larry Bird was flinging 3-pointers from everywhere (3 for 10) but managed to amass 24 points along with eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals in another ho-hum effort. His 10 treys didn't set a franchise mark; Danny Ainge launched 12 in one game. Bird has shot 10 in a game before, against Dallas in 1988. He made seven in that one.
Bird had plenty of company. Reggie Lewis had his crosshairs set right, scoring 26 on 11 of 15 from the field. The Celtics are 10-0 when he scores 20 or more. Kevin McHale (23) and Kevin Gamble (20 on 8 of 9) also came up big as Chris Ford elected to go with only seven players. He did the same thing when the two teams played earlier this season in Philadelphia.
The contrast in the two games was vivid. In Philly, a game the Sixers won, 116-110, the Celtics were hurt not only by Barkley (who had 37), but also by Hersey Hawkins (24). And the Sixer point guards (Rickey Green and Andre Turner) combined for 23 points, 13 assists and 0 turnovers.
Last night, Hawkins never got untracked (3 of 9, 12 points) and Green had four turnovers, along with seven assists and 11 points. And even though Barkley got his points, it was only the second time this season Philly has lost when he has scored 30 or more.
"They are a darn good team," Rickey Green said of the Celtics. "They've got the big man, the inside-outside game, they can run. They're a legitimate shot to win it all."
And what about if they sign former Sixer Derek Smith, as they seem intent on doing?
"They'll get a guy who gives you all the intangibles," Ricky Mahorn said. "But we'll still be around."
That seemed to sum up the Sixers. They wouldn't go away. The Celtics took the lead for good at 10-8 on the second of back-to-back 3-pointers by Bird.
Boston had the lead to 16 in the first and to 19 in the second and third quarters. The Celtics led by 10 after three and by 14 with 8:41 to play on two McHale free throws.
But Barkley seemed determined to pull this one out himself. He took 29 shots (but only three free throws, one at the end of the game) and had 17 points in the fourth quarter. He scored 8 in a 10-1 Philly run that turned the impending rout into something the Celtics didn't want to even consider.
"They're the type of team that, even if you get way up on them, they still feel as if they can win," McHale said. "And we let them get back into it."
Coach Chris Ford called time, but McHale had his shot blocked by rookie Jayson Williams, a surprise contributor in the fourth quarter. The Sixers then botched a chance to make things even more anxious when Turner threw up a brick and Williams crashed the boards, fouling Bird.
Larry made one. Mike Gminski (is he basketball's Steve Blass or what?) then missed and Lewis got fouled. He made them both. The lead was now 8, and all that awaited was the coup de grace.
Fittingly, Bird obliged. After missing two shots on the Celtics' previous possession, including a 3-pointer, he again spotted up beyond the line of death. This time, it went down. He earlier had two 3-pointers called back and ruled as conventional hoops.
That hoop made it 107-96, and the Sixers were finished. Anderson came out of a timeout with a basket, but Bird (a bomb), Lewis (a driving layup) and McHale (a layup from Bird) scored 6 straight and the lead, which had been five only three-plus minutes earlier, was now 15. And the victory was in hand.
"They protected their home turf and we did the same," Ford said. "I don't know where this road is going to lead us."
But he has to like the direction and the method of transport to date.
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