1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 113, Bullets 104
Record 27-8
January 7, 1984
The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers came to town, we heard a curious bit of logic from that renowned philosopher World B. Free, who was quoted as saying the Celtics weren't much of a team without Larry Bird. It was a remark that would come back to haunt the Cavaliers the next time around, as the Celtics gave the sellout crowd of 14,890 a classic blowout victory last night, 115-97. Boston, which rolled up its fourth straight victory and its eighth in the last nine games, led by 27 points in the final quarter.
Bird practically had a night off, playing only 29 minutes and scoring 19 points. Celtics coach K. C. Jones played his entire bench. Eleven of the 12 players scored, and five were in double figures. The undermanned Cavaliers were completely outmatched for three quarters. In fairness to Free, it should be mentioned that what he meant to say was that the Celtics were lucky to win here a month ago, 110-108, because only Bird had played up to par, and the Cavaliers did a good job of stopping Boston's fast break. But that was hardly the case last night, especially with Cleveland playing without Cliff Robinson, their main offensive thrust and only pure center, who has missed five games because of a death in his family.
First, the Celtics rammed the ball inside, with Bird scoring 11 points and Robert Parish nine in the first quarter as Boston took a 16-point lead. Cedric Maxwell and Kevin McHale also took turns going inside to post up, and guard Dennis Johnson got into the act several times, resulting in 13 points. But the key to last night's rout was what happened when Cleveland tried to adjust. The Celtics, led first by Gerald Henderson (15 points, 8 assists, and 2 steals), cut loose with a fast-breaking attack that boosted the lead to 21 points at halftime, 64-43. When Boston's half-court game bogged down and Cleveland came within 15 points, 75-60, Jones went to his bench for the almost forgotten Danny Ainge (17 points), who responded to the challenge by leading Boston on a 16-6 surge to a 91-66 lead after three quarters.
Cleveland did win the battle of garbage time, 31-24. Free wound up with 23 points to lead Cavaliers, and former Boston College star John Garris had a career high of 12 points and 23 minutes before the homefolks. But not even Cavalier coach Tom Nissalke could find anything redeeming about his club's ninth loss in 10 games. "Maybe tomorrow I'll reflect on it," said Nissalke. "Right now, I can't. It's just another loss. They (Celtics) were too strong for us inside without Robinson. Last time, we broke down their fast break and held our own on the boards. This time, we didn't."
It wasn't too soon for Jones to reflect on the victory. "We did three basic things well tonight," said Jones. "We executed on offense, we played good defense and we ran the break well. Even though a couple of times, we didn't get the basket because of overpassing, we ran well and were in position. "I really like the way we were able to maintain a lead. It's important that we don't let up in a situation like that." For three quarters, at least, there hardly seemed any danger of that. Cleveland has a bagful of good forwards, and Bird had to work hard for all his points in the first quarter. But that is when Henderson cut loose. With Boston ahead, 23-12, he scored a basket and then stole a pass to set up a layup for Parish. The Cavaliers had trouble dealing with the Celtics' guards, and when they went out to meet them, the ball went inside again,where Boston consistently got easy baskets. "We played very well," said Parish. "Everybody got into it tonight. I just wish we could bottle it."
MISC
World B. Free didn't want to be quoted out of context this time. He made no reference to Larry Bird last night and credited the Celtics' ability to get their fast break in gear. "We broke it down last time," he said. "But right now, it's tough inside, because we've got all forwards playing" . . . Former Boston College player John Bagley, who has started the last six games for Cleveland, scored 11 points, ending a two-game cold spell in which he went 2 for 18 . . . Cleveland outrebounded Boston last night, 43-39. But that total included a 13-8 advantage in the fourth quarter . . . Cleveland coach Tom Nissalke says his club might not make any trades before next season, preferring to build with what he's got and protecting his draft choices, something previous Cleveland regimes did not do. "We'll have one first-round choice, which we bought from the NBA. But it will be the 12th, and who knows what will be available. I'd like to have an inside player, and not necessarily a center. But we'll just have to see what happens."
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