Celtics Deflect Bullets

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 113, Bullets 104
Record 26-8
January 5, 1984

They'd rather change a tire in the Sumner Tunnel, swim in the frigid surf with the L street Brownies, or watch a Bill Fitch Film festival, but the schedule says that six times a year the Celtics must play the Washington Bullets. It looked like things might be different last night. Sparked by another boffo relief appearance by M.L. Carr, the Celtics recovered from a ragged first quarter and bolted to a 23-point third-quarter lead. Then the gruesome, grimy Bullets came back. In their own ragged but effective way, the Nation's Capital Nuisances bring every team down to their own level. Washington chopped Boston's lead to a scary five (105-100) with 1:22 left before succumbing, 113-104, at the Garden.

Boston led, 52-43, at intermission and appeared to bury the Bullets with a 23-9 run in the first six minutes of the third quarter. Cedric Maxwell had 10 of the 23 points. With 5:59 left in the period, it was 75-52 and Jeff Ruland and Rick Mahorn, the infamous Beef Brothers, had been reduced to Beef Jerky. Shooting .714 (15 for 21) in the third quarter, the Celtics led, 87-70, after three. As always, the Bullets made things difficult. Ruland (21 points, 14 rebounds) and Mahorn started doing their 'Hogs imitation, Rickey Sobers (22 points) and Frank Johnson heated up from the perimeter and the immortal Joe Kopicki pushed the visitors to a 12-1 run that cut it to 92-84 with 6:59 left.

Mahorn fouled out, but Washington kept the pressure on and closed to within five on a Johnson fast-break drive. It took four free throws by Gerald Henderson (20 points) and Robert Parish (18) to finally ice the game. Washington owned the first period, but Carr provided substitute magic for the second straight night and led the Celtics to a 29-15 second-quarter advantage and a 52-43 halftime lead. Things were tough for Boston in the first quarter. Gerald Henderson and Dennis Johnson put the Celtics ahead, 17-14, but you know the Celtics are in for trouble when the offense is coming from the backdourt.

DJ and Henderson started to miss and, as usual, the Celtics were unable to get second shots against the Bullets. With Frank Johnson (eight assists in the quarter) handing off, Washington ran off eight in a row, capped by a Johnson jumper that made it 22-17 and forced a Celtics' timeout. Larry Bird, who made nine straight shots in New Jersey Tuesday, missed his first five last night and came out after scoring two points in the first period. Maxwell and Kevin McHale failed to score in the quarter, giving the Celtics a total of two points from the forward position in the first 12 minutes. A Kopicki lefthanded tap at the buzzer gave Washington a 28-23 lead after one. The Bullets outrebounded the Celtics, 11-6, in the period.

Boston owned the second quarter. Carr made an early appearance and sparked the Celtics for the second straight night. The Celtics were down, 32-27, when Carr ignited a devastating 14-0 run with a followup basket. Washington called time after a couple of bombs by Bird, but when play resumed, McHale put the Celtics ahead on a baseline drive, Carr forced a steal that resulted in a Quinn Buckner layup and Bird (23 points to lead Boston) hit two free throws after another Bullets' turnover. Then Carr rebounded a Johnson miss and Scott Wedman canned one from out top to make it 39-32.

A jumper by Sobers broke the Celtics' streak, but McHale came back with a hook (after another Carr offensive rebound) and a turnaround over Ruland. When Bird calmly buried a three-pointer from the right corner, Boston led, 46-36, with 4:40 left in the half. The quintet of Buckner, Carr, Bird, Wedman and McHale had outscored the visitors, 25-6, over an eight-minute stretch. The Bullets fought back, but Carr grabbed a DJ miss and put it in before the halftime buzzer. It was significant that Carr had four offensive rebounds in the period and the Celtics scored eight points on second shots.

MISC

Kevin McHale was hoping to snap out of a three-game, 33-percent (8-for-24) shooting slump. McHale scored 7, 5 and 8 points against Houston, Dallas and New Jersey. He's been held under 10 only two other times all year . . . The Celtics committed 71 turnovers against the Rockets, Mavericks and Nets . . . Going into last night, Danny Ainge had been held scoreless in four of his last 10 games, while hitting only 11 of 35 shots.