Celtics (5-1) Edge Pacers on Parish Buzzer-Beater

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 99, Pacers 97
Record: 5-1
11/9/1983

Once more a winner in his Hoosier Hoop Holy Land, Larry Bird embraced Robert Parish the way baseball pitchers jump into catchers' arms after the final out of the World Series. Could this have been merely a November victory over the Indiana Pacers? Indeed. With time running out and the score tied, 97-97, Kevin McHale missed his patented turnaround jumper. Parish fought for the rebound, and shoveled the ball into the basket. The buzzer sounded and the Celtics were 99-97 winners. Bird looked like Rick Dempsey, leaping into Parish's arms while a numbstruck 14,935 watched in silent fury.

"I was fighting their guy (Steve Stipanovich) for it," said Parish (16 points, 11 rebounds). "I tipped it, then he tipped it, then I was able to come up with the ball. I wasn't even trying to make the shot. I just threw it up on the glass and it kind of hung there for a while before it fell through." The dramatic final seconds somewhat obscured another virtuoso Indiana performance by Bird, not to mention Herb Williams' 32-point (14 in the final period) effort for the Pacers.

Their fifth straight triumph gave the Celtics the best record in basketball and reaffirmed the suspicion that for all the wealth and fame his game has brought him, nothing makes Larry Joe Bird happier than playing well for the folks back home. "It means more to me to win here," admitted Bird. "I think I want the ball more and the guys know that. It's just a great feeling to play well here. I definitely don't want to let anybody down."

He didn't. In addition to seven assists and nine rebounds, Bird scored 26 points, including 14 in the pivotal third quarter when it looked like the Celtics had put away the pesky Pacers. Remember that Bird averaged 32 in five games against Indiana last year (including a 53-point game for the ages) and had 31 in last Friday's Garden party against Indiana.

The game had been tied 18 times in the first half, when neither team had led by more than four. Then Bird led the Celts to a 30-16 third-quarter advantage. He scored four quick ones and had two steals and two assists as the Celts opened the third with a 10-2 run to take a 60-52 lead. The Pacers closed to within six, before Bird resumed his show. Sir Larry canned two free throws and two more bombs, then fed Gerald Henderson for a bucket to complete an 8-0 run that made it 70-56. The 14-point lead held up through three (80-66) when Bird found Danny Ainge underneath before the buzzer.

With Williams doing a reasonable impersonation of Elgin Baylor, Indiana worked its way back into the ballgame at the start of the fourth. As Bird turned cold, Williams took charge, scoring 10 straight and 12 of 14 for the Pacers. The Celtics' lead melted. Williams hit a jump hook over McHale with 1:29 left, pulling Indiana to within one (96-95). With 1:02 left, the Celts called time. After the pause, Bird missed a bomb, Williams rebounded, but Clark Kellogg (22 points) was called for traveling with 42 seconds left.

McHale was fouled by Williams and missed his first free throw. He made the second to make it 97-95, and the Pacers called time with 32 seconds left. Kellogg tied it with a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left. It was the first tie since 50-50 at the half. Boston called time. The final play set up McHale's errant turnaround. "Mine was supposed to go in," said McHale, laughing. "Actually, it was an easy shot for me." It missed, but Parish was there to do the rest. When the ball went in, Bird did his World Series re-enactment.