1983-84 Boston Celtics
Sixers 92, Celtics 91
Record: 9-4
11/20/1983
PHILADELPHIA
This is why you cared all summer long. This is why you followed the Kevin McHale contract nonsense and the endless press conferences concerning new Celtic owners, new coaches and new players. Last night was the reward. The small type will record that the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics, 92-91, before 17,921, but if you attended, watched or listened, you know it was more than that.
For 78 nights a season, the Celtics and Sixers drive through the interminable NBA regular season. It is an emotional cruise-control trip all the way to the playoffs. Six times during that stretch, the Celtics and Sixers meet and play as if the outcome might decide the future of the planet. Last night was one of those six nights, and it lived up to expectations. If you could take this one, "The Day After" should be no problem tonight.
The Celtics were beaten because they turned the ball over too many times and dug themselves into a hole with a 16-point third-quarter deficit. But what Boston did in the final 20 minutes should be enough to ease the pain of a three-game losing streak and fuel the hopes that the hearts and heads of the Celtics are back in place.Trailing, 74-58, with 7:22 left in the third quarter, the Celtics dug in and played K. C. Jones defense for the rest of the night. Philly went into a big chill and Boston outscored the Sixers, 14-4, through the end of the third. The Celtics continuted the exhaustive pressure for the first 5 1/2 minutes of the fourth.
When Gerald Henderson tapped home a Kevin McHale miss with 6:34 left, the Celtics had completed a 24-6, 13-minute run and led, 82-80. The stunned Sepctrum crowd sat in silent disbelief. They had just seen their Sixers score three baskets in 13 minutes.Julius Erving, in the midst of a woeful shooting night, tied it with a pair of free throws with 4:50 left. It went back and forth for a few minutes and, with 1:35 left, Robert Parish gave the Celtics their last lead, rebounding his own miss and hooking one in to make it 89-88.
Andrew Toney was fouled by Dennis Johnson and made both to give the Sixers the lead for good with 1:09 left. Then Moses Malone rebounded a wild shot off the drive by DJ, and Toney buried a jumper to make it 91-88 with 28 seconds left. The Celtics called time, inserted three-point threat Scott Wedman and set up a play. However, the Celts ended up getting nothing. Philly hero Maurice Cheeks stripped the ball from Parish and the C's had to foul Erving. The Doc made one with eight seconds left to make it 92-88. DJ drilled a three-pointer with two seconds left to set the final score. The victory lifted the Sixers back into first place ahead of the Celtics.
The Celtics had dug quite a hole for themselves in the first half. Larry Bird was still cold and Philadelphia grabbed seven of the game's first eight rebounds. With Philadelphia's guards driving straight for the hoop at every opportunity, the defending World Champs bolted to a 10-2 lead in the first 3:13. The Celtics turned the ball over 10 times (which cost 14 points) in the first quarter, and Philly led, 18-11, when Boston made its first run of the game.
The Celtics hit seven consecutive floor shots, Parish managed to beat Malone down the floor a few times, and Boston temporarily contained Philadelphia's backcourt. The result was a 10-2 Boston surge that produced the Celtics' only lead of the half, 21-20. After two free throws by Bird put the Celtics ahead, the Sixers outscored the Celtics, 6-2, for the rest of the quarter and led, 26-23, after one. No fewer than 22 of Philadelphia's first 26 points came on layups, tip-ins and slam dunks.
Cheeks (16 in the half) started hitting some jumpers early in the second. He and Erving controlled the tempo and Philadelphia stayed ahead by 10 or more for most of the half. Boston's guards couldn't do anything with Cheeks and Toney. The Sixers were intent on going right to the basket, and Quinn Buckner, Danny Ainge and Co. issued free passes to the hoop.
When Malone scored on a power drive with 15 seconds left in the half, the Sixers had their biggest lead of the first 24 minutes - 60-46. That was the score at intermission. There wasn't much encouragement for Celtic fans. Bird made only three of eight shots in the first half, Malone outrebounded Parish, 8-4, and Cheeks and Toney combined for 27 first-half points.
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