Celtics Win 17th Straight

Celtics Improve to 54-15
1981-82 Boston Celtics

Twenty two years, time enough for some basketball players to grow old and for others to grow up. The last time a Celtics team won 17 straight games was Nov.-Dec. 1959. "I was seven years old running around pulling little girls' ponytails," said M.L. Carr.

The current Celtics came face-to-face with a ghost last night, winning their 17th straight to tie the 22-year-old record. They did it by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 136-115, at the Garden. It was a game for a half, with the Celts building a 68-62 lead. "Then we wore them down," said Cedric Maxwell, "and we got into our running game." The Celts exploded from an 84-79 lead to 108-91, and all that remained was the anticipation of No. 18 tomorrow night against Detroit.

Robert Parish recovered from his night off in Chicago with a 27-point (13- for-17), 11-rebound effort. Larry Bird continued his off-the-bench brilliance with a 25-point (10-for-16), 12-rebound, 8-assist performance. Tiny Archibald evoked his pre-injury form with several lightning drives.

The Cavaliers, whose 15-53 is almost the opposite of the Celtics, and whose I'll-take-mine style of play is the opposite, were led by Ron Brewer's 29 points. The Celtics jumped to an 11-3 lead, and led again, 26-19, before the Cavs got a three-pointer from Scott Wedman to cut it to 32-31 at the quarter. There was a tie at 40, but jumpers by Danny Ainge and Bird helped break it open. Parish came alive in the waning minutes of the first half, picking up third and fourth-chance buckets.

At the start of the second half, two Parish jumpers and a spinning reverse banker by M.L. Carr helped open up an 80-70 lead. Brewer brought the Cavs back with nine straight points, including a nice underhand scoop off the break. But from 86-79, the Celtics turned it on, getting eight points from Archibald - including two penetrations of the lane - for a 102-89 third-quarter lead.

The fourth quarter was an extended garbage time. Only the winning streak salvaged the game from the burning pyre of NBA drek. Celtics coach Bill Fitch downplayed the significance of the streak until someone mentioned that every team that has won at least 17 straight has gone on to an NBA title. "That's the best sign I've had tonight," said Fitch, "because to repeat in this league is very difficult.

"You know, until we got in this streak nobody mentioned theclub record. So it couldn't have been very important. What matters is (when) we're six games up in our division with five games left. That's when we've accomplished something."

The Celtics reacted to the record-tying 17th in different ways. "It's a high compliment to be mentioned in the same breath with Russ and Cousy," said Parish. "The streak has really been in the back of our minds. We don't get overexcited about it, but it's a good feeling. It makes people take a step back." "It means we're playing good basketball," said Larry Bird. "We just have to keep going like this into the playoffs."

"They had a great team in that era," said McHale. "They had a great run of championships. We're trying to make our own run of championships. The important thing is to put distance between us and Philly." For sheer exuberance there was the irrepressible Carr. "We're in the same mold as that team," said Carr. "Everyone gives to the betterment of the club. It's a great feeling to be compared with those teams. That's big time for me. Big time. It's something money can't buy.

"I'll walk into a grocery store 10 years from now and somebody will say Aren't you M.L. Carr and didn't you play for the same club as Bob Cousy.' That is really big time." Twenty-two years, time enough for a torch to be passed.