Celtics Improve to 31-11
1981-82 Boston Celtics
It still lives. The Killer Instinct that many thought had vanished from the Celtics ' philosophy returned last night after a two-game vacation.
Ask the New York Knicks. They walked away from a 70-65 game at halftime assured they were within striking distance and that they'd repelled the early challenge of a Celtic team determined to reassert itself before the 50th consecutive sellout crowd at the Garden. Twenty-four minutes later, they left the floor again, victims of a 131-99 blowout, led by a 31-point night by Larry Bird.
"They kicked our butts," said veteran guard Mike Newlin. "And they tried to pour it on, too. I admire that in a team."
"When this team is at its best," said Tiny Archibald, "it plays a complete game. Everybody is involved and everybody gets a chance to contribute. What you saw tonight, and not just the third quarter, was about as close to a complete game as we've played in a long, long while.
"Even in the other games we were winning games at home, it wasn't like this. We won because we put on a spurt and held on. Tonight we got a team down, and we kept it down. We didn't let up the pressure one bit. The thing to do is get a lead, and build it, build it, build it"
The way the Celtics ran roughshod over the Knicks would have made Jack the Ripper proud. Their domination was devastating, particulary in the third quarter when they outscored the Knicks, 35-10. Boston scored the first 12 points of the period and never looked back. The New Yorkers hit only 2 of 11 shots and were victimized time and time again by the style of aggressive play that has been sorely lacking from the Celtics of late.
"It was fun tonight," said M. L. Carr, who had a full day starting at 5:15 a.m. when he called Bill Fitch to announce the birth of his daughter. "We played Celtics' brand of basketball, especially in that third quarter. The fans were up. The players were slapping fives. If we play like that any night, we're just tough to beat. We've worked very hard the last couple days in practice. This is a nice reward for it."
There is fun, and then there is fun. For the Celtics have come to the realization, even though it is late January, that they cannot take winning for granted.
"I don't call many games fun," said Archibald. "This is serious business. We simply could not afford to lose a third game in a row at home. We seriously went after them in the second half. Now that it's all over, and we've won, it's fun."
It was the manner in which the Celtics broke this one open that made it much more than a 32-point rout. They struck with cobra quickness, and New York was stunned.
Certainly, no one would have thought that would happen after a first half which had been high scoring and also was as grueling and physical a 24 minutes as you'll see anywhere but the playoffs. Only a spectacular shot by Bird at the buzzer assured Boston as much as a five-point lead.
But in the third quarter, the Celtics stormed the Knicks with speed and savvy and then simply pounded them into submission with a relentless defense. That hasn't happened in a long while, either. And it didn't stop there. There would be no Knick comeback, as had been the case when the two clubs met a week ago in New York. Fitch kept sending in fresh troops and what better ending could such a night have but to see the game end on a dunk shot by Eric Fernsten.
"Tonight," said Fitch, "we went out and did what we had to do. I didn't have to say much at halftime. I'd just like to credit guys for just coming out of the locker room and having better memories than anything else.
"You have a much better chance of fast breaking and getting the easy baskets if you play good defense and come up with the ball. We had good intensity on defense in that period, which is good because we gave up a lot of points in the first half. You don't beat many teams allowing 130 points, so I'm glad we got better."
"When I say we, I mean not just me but everybody. Sometimes, I feel like an Indian snake charmer with a deaf cobra. I don't think they hear me. But they must have heard something tonight."
It is easy to point out the Knicks' biggest mistakes. They made 26 turnovers that led to 32 points. They lost the war of the boards, 53-36. In the second half, they fared very poorly on the fast break as Boston's transition game was brilliant at times.
But the biggest mistake of the night might have been in getting Bird so mad that he picked up a rare technical foul. Not only did Bird finish with 31 points, but he added 8 rebounds and 11 assists, which means he was a catalyst for Boston - and that is when he is most dangerous. The first six Celtics in the game finished in double figures. Everybody scored and everybody played at least seven minutes.
Bird was the best of the lot.
"I wanted to play tonight," he said. "I was ready to play when I came in here. So did everybody, I think.
"We had to play well, really. If you do lose three in a row, it's very tough to get those games back. If you are going to lose three in a row, better lose them on the road. You've got to be tough at home. You've got to bump people, play good defense and hit the percentage shot. You've got to make things happen. We did."
1981-82 Boston Celtics
It still lives. The Killer Instinct that many thought had vanished from the Celtics ' philosophy returned last night after a two-game vacation.
Ask the New York Knicks. They walked away from a 70-65 game at halftime assured they were within striking distance and that they'd repelled the early challenge of a Celtic team determined to reassert itself before the 50th consecutive sellout crowd at the Garden. Twenty-four minutes later, they left the floor again, victims of a 131-99 blowout, led by a 31-point night by Larry Bird.
"They kicked our butts," said veteran guard Mike Newlin. "And they tried to pour it on, too. I admire that in a team."
"When this team is at its best," said Tiny Archibald, "it plays a complete game. Everybody is involved and everybody gets a chance to contribute. What you saw tonight, and not just the third quarter, was about as close to a complete game as we've played in a long, long while.
"Even in the other games we were winning games at home, it wasn't like this. We won because we put on a spurt and held on. Tonight we got a team down, and we kept it down. We didn't let up the pressure one bit. The thing to do is get a lead, and build it, build it, build it"
The way the Celtics ran roughshod over the Knicks would have made Jack the Ripper proud. Their domination was devastating, particulary in the third quarter when they outscored the Knicks, 35-10. Boston scored the first 12 points of the period and never looked back. The New Yorkers hit only 2 of 11 shots and were victimized time and time again by the style of aggressive play that has been sorely lacking from the Celtics of late.
"It was fun tonight," said M. L. Carr, who had a full day starting at 5:15 a.m. when he called Bill Fitch to announce the birth of his daughter. "We played Celtics' brand of basketball, especially in that third quarter. The fans were up. The players were slapping fives. If we play like that any night, we're just tough to beat. We've worked very hard the last couple days in practice. This is a nice reward for it."
There is fun, and then there is fun. For the Celtics have come to the realization, even though it is late January, that they cannot take winning for granted.
"I don't call many games fun," said Archibald. "This is serious business. We simply could not afford to lose a third game in a row at home. We seriously went after them in the second half. Now that it's all over, and we've won, it's fun."
It was the manner in which the Celtics broke this one open that made it much more than a 32-point rout. They struck with cobra quickness, and New York was stunned.
Certainly, no one would have thought that would happen after a first half which had been high scoring and also was as grueling and physical a 24 minutes as you'll see anywhere but the playoffs. Only a spectacular shot by Bird at the buzzer assured Boston as much as a five-point lead.
But in the third quarter, the Celtics stormed the Knicks with speed and savvy and then simply pounded them into submission with a relentless defense. That hasn't happened in a long while, either. And it didn't stop there. There would be no Knick comeback, as had been the case when the two clubs met a week ago in New York. Fitch kept sending in fresh troops and what better ending could such a night have but to see the game end on a dunk shot by Eric Fernsten.
"Tonight," said Fitch, "we went out and did what we had to do. I didn't have to say much at halftime. I'd just like to credit guys for just coming out of the locker room and having better memories than anything else.
"You have a much better chance of fast breaking and getting the easy baskets if you play good defense and come up with the ball. We had good intensity on defense in that period, which is good because we gave up a lot of points in the first half. You don't beat many teams allowing 130 points, so I'm glad we got better."
"When I say we, I mean not just me but everybody. Sometimes, I feel like an Indian snake charmer with a deaf cobra. I don't think they hear me. But they must have heard something tonight."
It is easy to point out the Knicks' biggest mistakes. They made 26 turnovers that led to 32 points. They lost the war of the boards, 53-36. In the second half, they fared very poorly on the fast break as Boston's transition game was brilliant at times.
But the biggest mistake of the night might have been in getting Bird so mad that he picked up a rare technical foul. Not only did Bird finish with 31 points, but he added 8 rebounds and 11 assists, which means he was a catalyst for Boston - and that is when he is most dangerous. The first six Celtics in the game finished in double figures. Everybody scored and everybody played at least seven minutes.
Bird was the best of the lot.
"I wanted to play tonight," he said. "I was ready to play when I came in here. So did everybody, I think.
"We had to play well, really. If you do lose three in a row, it's very tough to get those games back. If you are going to lose three in a row, better lose them on the road. You've got to be tough at home. You've got to bump people, play good defense and hit the percentage shot. You've got to make things happen. We did."
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