Celtics Sink Nets

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 105, Nets 103
Record 25-8
January 2, 1984

Make that six out of seven, 16 out of 19, and bring on the tag team wrestlers from Washington. The Celtics seem to be able to win despite themselves these days.Last night in the Meadowlands, the Celtics committed 25 more turnovers and shot a pitiful and season-low .622 from the free-throw line, yet were able to beat the New Jersey Nets, 105-103, thanks to a spectacular second half (7 for 7) by Larry Bird, another heroic effort by Robert Parish (27 points, 19 rebounds) and an old-timey spark from forever young M.L. Carr (9 points and 2 assists in 13 minutes).

The Celts trailed by as many as 16 in the first half and settled for 60-50 at intermission, as they handed it over a whopping 15 times in the first 24 minutes. Bird came out smoking after the halftime show. His Highness was held to six points and committed three turnovers in Boston's woeful first half, but shot the Celtics back into it with three bombs and a running lefthander early in the third. "Larry had to keep blowing on his hand out there," noted K.C. Jones. "That's how hot he was."

With Boston down, 66-57, Bird and Parish sparked a 16-4 run and the Celtics went ahead, 73-70. The indomitable Parish had eight of the 16 plus a couple of rebounds and a key block of a Buck Williams shot. The Nets responded like John Wayne after he'd been nudged off a bar stool. Williams (18 points, 16 rebounds) went to work inside, and Darryl Dawkins (24 points) touched down from Lovetron long enough to lead a 14-2 surge in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the quarter. Jersey's lead was up to 84-75 after three.

Enter Carr.

"Whenever M.L. comes in, we know he's gonna give us a lift," said Bird. "I had kind of written this one off and was already thinking about Washington when K.C. called me in," said Carr. "I just tried to make something happen out there." Carr broke the ice with Boston's first six points of the final quarter. However, a couple of jumpers by Darwin Cook kept the Nets on top by eight. Bird (nine straight from the floor) kept the Celts alive with acouple of unconscious fallaways from the outer limits. A short jumper in the lane by Parish brought Boston back to within a point (92-91) with 5:54 left.

The Celts regained the lead for good on a four-point play: Carr scored on a drive across the key as he was fouled. Cook protested too much and was tagged with a technical. Carr made his free throw and Dennis Johnson hit the technical to make it 97-96 with 4:23 left. "K.C. hasn't taught us the four-point play yet," joked Carr. "It was accidental." Jersey coach Stan Albeck was sorry to see Jake O'Donnell call a technical at that juncture. "That took it away from us, but we still had a chance," said Albeck.

The next scoring came when Parish went to the line and hit two with 2:43 remaining. Albert King (15) answered with a vicious slam. When Cedric Maxwell hit one of two from the line with 1:43 left, the Celts led, 100-98. Jersey couldn't get a shot off (unless you want to count a Micheal Ray Richardson airball at the buzzer) on its next possession and the Celts took over with 1:18 left and a two-point lead. After a timeout, Bird was fouled and made both to make it 104-100 with 1:08 left. The Nets called time, but it was too late. A power drive by Dawkins pulled Jersey to within a basket, but with 0:14 showing, DJ (21 points) went to the line and made both. Dawkins provided a late score with a three-pointer from the left corner, but Max hit one of two with three seconds to play and King's 80-foot heave at the buzzer was way short.

"We're happy with the win," said Jones. "We've still got to deal with our mistakes, but any win on the road is nice." Kevin McHale had another unproductive night with eight points, his third straight game under 10. For the record, David Stern, the NBA commissioner-elect, was in attendance, even though the Knicks were playing the Lakers in Madison Square Garden. Stern wouldn't say why he chose the Nets over the Knicks, but it was widely speculated that he wanted to observe the officials' handling of Dawkins.

MISC

New Jersey's front office has formally complained that Dawkins is being discriminated against by the regular officials. Dawkins fouled out of six of his first nine games worked by the regular referees, but averted disqualification (five personals) under the watchful eye of O'Donnell and Bennett Salvatore last night. The Washington Bullets are in town tonight. They've outrebounded the Celtics by a whopping 92-63 count in two games, while holding Boston to only five offensive rebounds in each game. "Rebounding is a strong part of their game," said Celtics coach K.C. Jones. "They jam pack the boards - push in and push out." . . . The Bullets are led by forward Jeff Ruland, who went into last night's game averaging 23.8 points (seventh in the NBA) and 12.8 rebounds (second) and shooting .601 (fourth) . . . Bullets guard Rickey Sobers has scored 20 or more points in nine of his last 11 games . . . The Bullets beat the Celtics three times in six tries last year and are 1-1 this year.