Celtics Look to End Losing Streak against Sixers

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Record 28-8
January 13, 1984

According to the official NBA standings, the Boston Celtics own basketball's best record: 28-8.We know better. Check out the Sixer Index and you'll see that in reality, the Celtics are 28-6 against pro basketball's cannon fodder and 0-2 in the games that really matter. This unique statistical system applies to only two teams (in Philadelphia it's called the Celtic Index). The Celtics and 76ers operate in an exclusive league. They each play two separate and unequal schedules. First and bore most, there is the interminable 76-game slate against 21 NBA teams. And then there is the six-game regular season series between Philadelphia and Boston.

The Celtics are 0-2 against Philadelphia this year. They lost, 92-91, in the Spectrum Nov. 19, and dropped a 121-114 overtime decision in Boston Garden two weeks later. A fortnight of blowouts over the Cavaliers, Warriors and Bulls cannot erase the provincial pain of two wasted opportunities against the hated Philadelphians. That's why tonight's game (7:35) is relatively meaningful. "When you lose two like that, people start to wonder if you can do it," admits Kevin McHale.

Julius Erving, the Winston Churchill of the NBA, sums it up this way: "This game against Boston is much more important to Boston than it is to Philadelphia. They haven't beaten us yet. They are playing well, and to beat them now would be a measure of establishing some kind of dominance over them which, hopefully, would continue and be a large cause for concern on their part." It would appear the Celtics are primed for a rare victory in the Spectrum. Boston has won five straight, nine of 10, and 19 of 22. The Celtics have a 2 1/2 -game lead over the Sixers.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia has dropped five of nine, including a 106-98 loss to the woeful Cavaliers (in which they were outrebounded, 51-31), and a stunning 111-73 defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks. The Knicks massacre featured zero assists by Maurice Cheeks, zero offensive rebounds by Moses Malone, 36-percent Sixers shooting, 28 Philadelphia turnovers and the franchise's lowest point total since the team moved to Philadelphia. It should be noted that Erving missed that game due to a forearm injury, but returned with 21 points in Wednesday's 121-99 victory over the Bullets.

Would the Celtics feel better if the Sixers were playing well right now? "No," says M.L Carr. "I don't ever want to see them playing well. The only thing I want to see Philadelphia do well is keep making good cheesesteaks. I don't like Philadelphia. I don't even like the Phillies, although I do like Tug McGraw." "I think it's about time for us to get a win against them" says Larry Bird. "We know we can beat them at home, so it's just a matter of beating them there. If we win, it's a great opportunity for us to widen our lead."

The matchups are familiar: Robert Parish vs. Malone, Bird vs. Erving, Cedric Maxwell vs. Marc Iavaroni, Dennis Johnson vs. Andrew Toney, Gerald Henderson vs. Cheeks. "I feel that Robert equalizes Moses," says McHale. "Overall, I think we're stronger up front." In the backcourt, DJ will again try to contain Toney. The Boston Strangler has 19 and 18 against the Celtics this year, but has hit only 14 of 31 shots. One of the 14 was a three-pointer over Danny Ainge that put the Garden duel into overtime. "I know Andrew is an excellent ballplayer," says DJ, "but hopefully I'll go in and play him the same way I've been playing him."

"I don't think we can win a championship by going 0 for 6 against Philadelphia, or even 1 of 6," says Maxwell. "Right now, I feel that we're the best two teams, and it's going to come down to us again." In regular season and playoff matches, the Sixers own a 24-21 lead over the Celtics since the start of the 1979-80 season. The Sixers (25-10) didn't lose their 10th game last year until March 22, when they were 57-10

MISC

Marc Iavaroni (flu) didn't practice yesterday, but is expected to play . . . Franklin Edwards has lost his position as fourth guard to rookie Sedale Threatt . . . The Sixers are 14-2 at home, while the Celtics are 13-5 on the road . . . The game is on Sportschannel, but will not be seen on Channel 4 . . . Henderson is shooting 57 percent for the year, 66 percent (23-35) in his last four games . . . Carr has played 15, 13, 11 and 18 minutes in the last four games. He played small forward against the Warriors . . . Quinn Buckner is averaging 21.3 minutes in his last 11 games . . . Since his DNP (Did Not Play) against Washington, Ainge is 13 for 18 (72 percent) with six assists and only one turnover in 34 minutes . . . Parish has shot 50 percent or better in 10 straight games, hitting at a 64-percent (85-133) clip.