Celtics Improve to 22-4
1990-91 Boston Celtics
The Celtics and Hawks yesterday picked up exactly where they left off. The score hadn't changed since Nov. 28. The playing surface had, but for a while there were doubts about that, too.
And, most critical of all, the two teams were mirror images of themselves 3 1/2 weeks ago. The Celtics looked every bit as omnipotent as before. And the Hawks? After 5 minutes yesterday, the operative phrase for them was "Why bother?"
Slipout II was avoided, although there was concern about the safety of the parquet floor up to an hour before tipoff. Blowout II was unavoidable. The Celtics showed up with a 37-22 lead, made their first seven shots of the resumed game, and went on to torch Atlanta, 132-104.
The victory was the Celtics' seventh in a row and 18th in their last 20 games. They have won 12 straight at home, where their average victory margin is 18.6 points.
Any doubts as to the Celtics' readiness were erased in the first 90 seconds. Successive hoops by Kevin Gamble (25 points), Reggie Lewis and Brian Shaw (16 points, 9 assists) quickly made it a 21-point lead. The Hawks called time.
Less than two minutes later, Hawks coach Bob Weiss pulled a mass substitution. His team was 1 for 7. The score was 51-24. Garbage time had already begun. If you switched channels then to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" for the umpteenth time, you didn't miss a thing.
You want rout? The Hawks, who shot 29 percent in the first half, got no closer than 25 the rest of the way. Boston led by as many as 38.
"We played like we did during our nine-game losing streak," Weiss said, referring to the skid the Hawks were in when they were here for Slipout I. "It looked like we were worried about the floor. They weren't. They came out, made their shots, and it was over."
Before the game, Celtics boss Dave Gavitt was concerned. Unseasonably warm conditions had again made safety an issue. There were some wet spots. Garden president Larry Moulter was being interviewed by everyone.
"I was worried," Gavitt said. "I mean what are the chances? Same team. Same game. Same conditions."
Gavitt saw Sidney Moncrief slip during warmups. Atlanta assistant coach Kevin Loughery even spilled some ice on the floor near the Boston bench, accidentally (?) of course. But that was cleaned up and, by gametime, the teams were satisfied the floor was OK and the rout could officially begin -- again.
Boston had the ball. Gamble (10 for 16) swished an 18-footer. After Doc Rivers missed a 3-pointer -- the Hawks' wanted a quick trey to get back into it -- Lewis nailed a pullup. Another Atlanta miss begat a Shaw hoop from Larry Bird, who finished with his second triple-double (14 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds) of the season.
After a timeout, Rivers missed again and Robert Parish (18 points on 8-for- 8 shooting and 10 rebounds) worked a pretty pick-and-roll with Bird. Dominique Wilkins then gave the Hawks their first points, but Shaw (a layup from Bird), Bird (a layup from Parish) and Gamble (a 19-foot jumper) made it 51-24.
"We were real focused," Shaw said. "We played as if the game was even and there was no lead. We came out the way we played them originally, used good judgment, and went at them."
The lead settled at 69-41 at the half and it took the Hawks almost half the third quarter to reach the 50-point barrier. They needed another minute before their first player (Duane Ferrell) reached double figures. By then, Bird already had his triple-double.
It was 103-68 after three and the only remaining question was how long before Stojko Vrankovic would make an appearance. He wound up with 4 points, 4 fouls and 2 blocks in a career-high nine minutes.
The fourth quarter highlights? A Vrankovic dunk from Dee Brown. A 3-pointer by Michael Smith, his first of the year after six misses. And a dunk by Atlanta's Trevor Wilson that should make the team highlight film (and you know how the Hawks like to dunk. It was that good.)
"A weird game," said Kevin McHale (12 points in 15 minutes.) "It's good to get it played and out of the way."
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