Celtics Take Winning Streak to Denver

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Record: 8-1
11/14/1983

Rocky Mountain High, anyone?

The Celtics barely needed United's DC-10 aircraft to get from Chicago to the Mile High City yesterday morning.The Celtics have been in the ionosphere for more than two weeks. Saturday night's 116-101 goring of the Bulls stretched Boston's win streak to eight and made quite an impression on Chicago coach Kevin Loughery."Boston is by far the best team we've seen," said Loughery (yes, the Bulls have played the Sixers). "Dennis Johnson makes them awesome. They're sensational. K. C. (Jones) has done a sensational job, and it seems like they want to play again."

Against the Bulls, the Celtics were flat for five minutes and fell behind, 17-8. From there, Johnson (19 points in the first half, 23 overall) took over as Boston outscored Chicago, 31-10, over the next nine minutes to take a 39-27 lead early in the second quarter. The Celtics led the rest of the way."For some reason I always play well against Chicago," said DJ. "I feel I've lacked agressiveness on offense at times, so tonight I tried to take it right to them."

Orlando Woolridge (26) and Quintin Dailey (20) tried bringing the Baby Bulls back, but Kevin McHale (24), Robert Parish and Larry Bird pounded Chicago underneath, and the Celtics steadily increased their lead. Boston outrebounded Chicago, 49-31. Jones used seven players in his backcourt. The regular quartet of DJ, Gerald Henderson, Quinn Buckner and Danny Ainge got some unexpected help from Bird, M. L. Carr and Carlos Clark.

"That's a lot of guards," admitted Jones. "It'll probably be the only time we'll do that." It was the second straight game in which Bird logged some time in the backcourt. Is Bird Boston's new shooting guard? "It's different being back there," said Bird. "But I don't know about it." "They say he's a man of all postions," said Johnson. "He didn't hamper us one bit." "We weren't hitting from outside," said Jones. "I wanted to get some more shooting from back there. Our guards on the whole are scrappy and good defenders, but they're not great shooters like Walter Davis, George Gervin, Kelly Tripucka, Norm Nixon or Jeff Malone."

MISC

Maybe Kevin McHale is worth $1 million per year. He hit 10 of 12 shots from the floor against Chicago. In his last three games, McHale averaged 25 points while shooting 76 percent (28-37) from the floor . . . Henderson and Ainge are struggling to get minutes. Henderson has started all nine games, but played only 13 and 14 minutes in the last two contests. Ainge hasn't played more than 24 minutes all season . . . Clark was seriously tested in his his first meaningful NBA appearance. He had to play the point while Bird assumed the role of the shooting guard. Clark, who played forward in college, was Boston's only guard on the floor for four minutes. Loughery responded by throwing a tough halfcourt trap at the Celtics. Clark hit two free throws, had one turnover and one rebound before he was replaced by Buckner. "He was a bit over-anxious, but he didn't back off," said Jones . . . Reggie Theus scored two points and had four turnovers in 12 minutes for the Bulls. He hasn't started all season and expressed displeasure with his non-role after the loss, claiming Loughery had "embarrassed" him . . . Meanwhile, Denver coach Doug Moe might be looking at a suspension for throwing a cup of water on official Tommy Wood during the Nuggets' 126-107 loss in San Antonio Saturday night. "I lost control," admitted Moe. "These guys just don't have the ability. They're not as competent as the regular officials." . . . After seven games in 11 days, the Celtics took yesterday off. They play in Denver tomorrow night.