"Are they getting longer in the tooth? Yeah, but that's what happens," said former Celtic Kevin McHale who is now a TV analyst for TNT. "Believe me, if you stayed 25 (years old), none of us would ever play because Jerry West and Bill Russell and everybody would never let us play. You get older, so it's natural, you just get older and it happens. What happens is, they start looking at the season differently. It's going to be after the All-Star game and letting Doc get Marquis Daniels back, which makes Eddie House more effective, getting Big Baby in, who had the hand injury. I think they are fine. They are where they need to be."
LINK
I see where the Army is projecting a second round exit for the locals. Possible. So is a first-round exit for that matter. I mean, come on, let's be honest. No matter who they play in the first round, we know there is a pretty good chance of it going 6 or 7 games.
Then again, if the Cs can get healthy, stay healthy, and develop some kind of rhythm, the playoffs will be the playoffs, which is to say an opportunity to slug it out on a round-by-round basis and see who's standing at the end.
Is there something else I'm missing?
1.28.2010
Celtics End Bucks' Season, Win Eastern Conference
Celtics 115, Bucks 108
Game 5 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Win Series 4-1
In a 48-minute tribute to "Body Heat" and "The Deer Hunter," Boston's Boys of Summer bagged the stately Bucks last night, winning the fifth and final game of the Eastern Conference final, 115-108.
It's time for California Dreamin'. For the 16th time since 1957, the Boston Celtics are the beasts of the East. They are primed for what they believe to be their destiny - a championship round with the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was clear from the outset that the Celtics had no intention of going back to Milwaukee for a sixth game. They have been green giants in their playoff Garden (9-0), and last night they were typically torrid in the North Station blast furnace. Meanwhile, Paul Mokeski finally turned into a pumpkin, and the venerable Bucks grudgingly followed the advice of Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm - they stepped aside.
"We played as good as we can play," conceded Bucks coach Don Nelson. "When you get beaten by a team that is that superior - like I think Boston was - you can't complain. Occasionally, you beat a team that's better than you are. I thought that happened last year, but not this time. Give Boston credit."
"Once we got our confidence going, they knew what they were in for," said Gerald Henderson, who had eight of his 19 points in the decisive third quarter. "We just aren't the same as last season."
Boston led by 62-52 at the half, and you got the feeling that the crusty Bucks would have trouble keeping pace in the sweltering heat.
How hot was it? Don't ask Johnny Carson, ask Milwaukee's Junior Bridgeman, who was hyperventilating and needed a cold shower at halftime.
"I didn't feel well, but I don't want to use that as an excuse," the classy Bridgeman said after an uncharacteristically brutal (1-of-12) shooting performance.
Bridgeman's shooting wasn't the difference, and neither was Boston's 53-36 rebounding edge. This game was won when the Celtics ripped off 13 in a row to take a 20-point lead midway through the third quarter.
It was 70-63 early in the third when K.C. Jones brought out the blowtorch.
Guards Dennis Johnson (a gutty 17 points with nine rebounds) and Henderson got things started after intermission. When DJ fired a pass to Cedric Maxwell, who whipped it to Robert Parish for a thunderous slam to make it 76-63, the Garden exploded.
There was much more. After a traveling violation on basketball's Ernie Banks (Bob Lanier), Larry Bird canned a three-pointer from the Charlestown Bridge. Then Bird (21 with 13 rebounds) rebounded a Bridgeman shot and followed up a DJ miss for two. That set off seismographs from Portland to Provincetown and forced a Milwaukee timeout with 5:22 left in the third. It was 83-63, and the Celtics appeared to have finally slaughtered the deer that made Milwaukee famous.
Not quite. Milwaukee's Mike Dunleavy (21) went to work from the outer limits, and the Bucks clawed back to 92-79 after three.
Lanier and Alton Lister (17 with eight rebounds) applied some heat early in the fourth. The Celtics helped out with careless ballhandling (22 turnovers), and the Bucks closed to within eight six times.
"When the lead got up to 20, we started to relax," admitted K.C. "We acted like it was over and played some very ugly basketball. Fatigue was a problem, but we were careless because of the big lead."
With 2:52 left, Parish picked up his sixth personal and Lister made one of two free throws to cut it to seven (107-100).
Henderson fed Maxwell (19 points) for a layup with 2:09 left. After two free throws by Dunleavy, Henderson buried a jumper, and it was 111-102 with 1:09 left. That's when the "Beat LA" chants started.
The Bucks cut it to five with 39 seconds left, but only the gamblers were still paying attention.
The Bucks hurt themselves when they came out running in the first half. Boston led for the entire pinball first quarter, until Dunleavy drilled a three-pointer in the closing seconds to give Milwaukee a 35-34 lead after one. A 12-0 second-quarter run pushed the Celtics to a 62-52 halftime lead.
Boston shot 61 percent (14 of 23) in the first 12 minutes, while Milwaukee hit for 59 percent (13-22). The Celtics outrebounded the Bucks, 13-5.
Lister led a 6-2 surge at the start of the second period, giving Milwaukee a four-minute, 13-2 surge and a 40-36 lead.
The Celtics awoke with 12 in a row. Maxwell had four of the 11, Bird added six and DJ scored on a nice drive. The capper came when Max followed up a coast-to-coast drive and miss by DJ. Marques Johnson (24 on a bum knee) brought the Bucks back, but Boston was better suited for the breakneck pace. A 9-2 run at the close of the half hinted at what was to come in the pivotal third period.
Game 5 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Win Series 4-1
In a 48-minute tribute to "Body Heat" and "The Deer Hunter," Boston's Boys of Summer bagged the stately Bucks last night, winning the fifth and final game of the Eastern Conference final, 115-108.
It's time for California Dreamin'. For the 16th time since 1957, the Boston Celtics are the beasts of the East. They are primed for what they believe to be their destiny - a championship round with the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was clear from the outset that the Celtics had no intention of going back to Milwaukee for a sixth game. They have been green giants in their playoff Garden (9-0), and last night they were typically torrid in the North Station blast furnace. Meanwhile, Paul Mokeski finally turned into a pumpkin, and the venerable Bucks grudgingly followed the advice of Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm - they stepped aside.
"We played as good as we can play," conceded Bucks coach Don Nelson. "When you get beaten by a team that is that superior - like I think Boston was - you can't complain. Occasionally, you beat a team that's better than you are. I thought that happened last year, but not this time. Give Boston credit."
"Once we got our confidence going, they knew what they were in for," said Gerald Henderson, who had eight of his 19 points in the decisive third quarter. "We just aren't the same as last season."
Boston led by 62-52 at the half, and you got the feeling that the crusty Bucks would have trouble keeping pace in the sweltering heat.
How hot was it? Don't ask Johnny Carson, ask Milwaukee's Junior Bridgeman, who was hyperventilating and needed a cold shower at halftime.
"I didn't feel well, but I don't want to use that as an excuse," the classy Bridgeman said after an uncharacteristically brutal (1-of-12) shooting performance.
Bridgeman's shooting wasn't the difference, and neither was Boston's 53-36 rebounding edge. This game was won when the Celtics ripped off 13 in a row to take a 20-point lead midway through the third quarter.
It was 70-63 early in the third when K.C. Jones brought out the blowtorch.
Guards Dennis Johnson (a gutty 17 points with nine rebounds) and Henderson got things started after intermission. When DJ fired a pass to Cedric Maxwell, who whipped it to Robert Parish for a thunderous slam to make it 76-63, the Garden exploded.
There was much more. After a traveling violation on basketball's Ernie Banks (Bob Lanier), Larry Bird canned a three-pointer from the Charlestown Bridge. Then Bird (21 with 13 rebounds) rebounded a Bridgeman shot and followed up a DJ miss for two. That set off seismographs from Portland to Provincetown and forced a Milwaukee timeout with 5:22 left in the third. It was 83-63, and the Celtics appeared to have finally slaughtered the deer that made Milwaukee famous.
Not quite. Milwaukee's Mike Dunleavy (21) went to work from the outer limits, and the Bucks clawed back to 92-79 after three.
Lanier and Alton Lister (17 with eight rebounds) applied some heat early in the fourth. The Celtics helped out with careless ballhandling (22 turnovers), and the Bucks closed to within eight six times.
"When the lead got up to 20, we started to relax," admitted K.C. "We acted like it was over and played some very ugly basketball. Fatigue was a problem, but we were careless because of the big lead."
With 2:52 left, Parish picked up his sixth personal and Lister made one of two free throws to cut it to seven (107-100).
Henderson fed Maxwell (19 points) for a layup with 2:09 left. After two free throws by Dunleavy, Henderson buried a jumper, and it was 111-102 with 1:09 left. That's when the "Beat LA" chants started.
The Bucks cut it to five with 39 seconds left, but only the gamblers were still paying attention.
The Bucks hurt themselves when they came out running in the first half. Boston led for the entire pinball first quarter, until Dunleavy drilled a three-pointer in the closing seconds to give Milwaukee a 35-34 lead after one. A 12-0 second-quarter run pushed the Celtics to a 62-52 halftime lead.
Boston shot 61 percent (14 of 23) in the first 12 minutes, while Milwaukee hit for 59 percent (13-22). The Celtics outrebounded the Bucks, 13-5.
Lister led a 6-2 surge at the start of the second period, giving Milwaukee a four-minute, 13-2 surge and a 40-36 lead.
The Celtics awoke with 12 in a row. Maxwell had four of the 11, Bird added six and DJ scored on a nice drive. The capper came when Max followed up a coast-to-coast drive and miss by DJ. Marques Johnson (24 on a bum knee) brought the Bucks back, but Boston was better suited for the breakneck pace. A 9-2 run at the close of the half hinted at what was to come in the pivotal third period.
There’s Still Time to Fix this Mess
It would have been easier had the Lakers expanded their 12-point, first-quarter lead, and proceeded to destroy the home team. The KG-Era could have been declared O-V-E-R, while the Rasheed Wallace experiment could have been declared a failure. We could have talked about the need to clean house, but lamented the fact that we’re stuck with Garnett and Wallace for two-and-a-half more seasons. We could have speculated about the 100 different ways Danny Ainge would try to unload Ray Allen between now and the trade deadline.
But nothing is ever easy with this team. Contrast the 2007-08 regular season with the playoff run that followed. Precisely because yesterday’s loss could have easily been a win, much like Thursday’s loss to Orlando, Celtics fans are left to wonder what can we reasonably expect from this team the rest of the season.
First, let me give you an opinion from the Dark Side.
KG is kaput. Rasheed was kaput last year (come to think of it, so was Garnett). With any luck, both players retire at the end of this season, and the Celtics can stick a toe in the free agent market. Without Garnett or Sheed on the squad, however, the Celtics cease to become an attractive landing-spot for game-changing free-agents. Instead, the best the team can hope for are players like Xavier McDaniel and Dominique Wilkens. We all know how that worked out. Forget about the late 1980s, Celtics fans. Here come the early 1990s!
Now let’s turn to the glass half-full analysis.
At times yesterday, the Celtics looked very good, Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen in particular. Yet Tony Allen scored only two points in the fourth quarter, Rajon Rondo none. Neither player was shut-down by the opposition. Both players were simply peripheralized by their teammates. That’s enough to raise at least one eyebrow of concern, until you realize that neither Paul Pierce nor Ray Allen scored a single field-goal in the final frame, and Pierce made only one-field goal attempt! That’s four viable weapons coming up almost totally empty (Ray-Ray did hit a pair of free throws) in the deciding quarter of a big game. Meanwhile, the defense was AWOL in crunch-time yet again.
How is this glass half-full, you ask?
Let’s start with the defense. The Celtics play team defense, and thus any failures on the defensive end are a team failure. On Thursday night, Rashard Lewis said he was surprised to find that after getting past the first wave of Celtics defenders in the final seconds, he had a wide open path to the game-winning basket. TEAM FAILURE. On the offensive end, the fact that the Celtics have multiple weapons and make use of none of them in crunch time also represents a TEAM FAILURE.
Doc and Danny understand this. I’m pretty sure this message has been communicated to the team. The problem is there nothing anyone can say to make things click. Whatever needs to be said to the team undoubtedly has been said. Doc can keep fighting the good fight and keep on preaching the need to play team ball and trust each other. Reality tells me that things will either click or they won’t. I’ve got it at 50-50 whether it clicks or not.
How do I know my analysis is correct?
What disappointed me about that is that I told our guys, ‘We can’t act like we’re surprised to be up.’ We should have been up, and we should have been up more. So that was rough.
That was Doc Rivers talking. The Boston Celtics were surprised to have the lead at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. A Celtics' team that was expected by some to win 70 games or thereabouts is having crisis of confidence. A team that should have close to 40 wins and close to 10 losses now looks more likely to reach the .500 mark than they do of winning more than 50 games this season. And have you looked at the Atlantic Division standings recently? Toronto’s only 6 games out in the loss column!
So what gives?
Kevin Garnett’s knee. The Celtics play with uncertainty because they play not knowing whether their most important player will suit up, play a full game, or be forced to take more time off to rest. There is no "flow," no comfort level, no level of familiarity, no feeling of shared success. Even when he does suit up, no one knows what Kevin Garnett will show up. In the Ticket's absence, Rasheed’s warts become all the more apparent, which further unsettles the team. Assuming KG stays healthy, how much swagger can we expect to return? It depends on how long he stays healthy for. Remind anyone of the Bill Walton saga?
Bottom line is that the situation is what it is, and the Celtics just have to assume KG will be healthy, and try to get back on the same page with each other and start winning some games, the more the better. There’s plenty of time for this to happen, unless, of course, KG’s knee keeps acting up.
But nothing is ever easy with this team. Contrast the 2007-08 regular season with the playoff run that followed. Precisely because yesterday’s loss could have easily been a win, much like Thursday’s loss to Orlando, Celtics fans are left to wonder what can we reasonably expect from this team the rest of the season.
First, let me give you an opinion from the Dark Side.
KG is kaput. Rasheed was kaput last year (come to think of it, so was Garnett). With any luck, both players retire at the end of this season, and the Celtics can stick a toe in the free agent market. Without Garnett or Sheed on the squad, however, the Celtics cease to become an attractive landing-spot for game-changing free-agents. Instead, the best the team can hope for are players like Xavier McDaniel and Dominique Wilkens. We all know how that worked out. Forget about the late 1980s, Celtics fans. Here come the early 1990s!
Now let’s turn to the glass half-full analysis.
At times yesterday, the Celtics looked very good, Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen in particular. Yet Tony Allen scored only two points in the fourth quarter, Rajon Rondo none. Neither player was shut-down by the opposition. Both players were simply peripheralized by their teammates. That’s enough to raise at least one eyebrow of concern, until you realize that neither Paul Pierce nor Ray Allen scored a single field-goal in the final frame, and Pierce made only one-field goal attempt! That’s four viable weapons coming up almost totally empty (Ray-Ray did hit a pair of free throws) in the deciding quarter of a big game. Meanwhile, the defense was AWOL in crunch-time yet again.
How is this glass half-full, you ask?
Let’s start with the defense. The Celtics play team defense, and thus any failures on the defensive end are a team failure. On Thursday night, Rashard Lewis said he was surprised to find that after getting past the first wave of Celtics defenders in the final seconds, he had a wide open path to the game-winning basket. TEAM FAILURE. On the offensive end, the fact that the Celtics have multiple weapons and make use of none of them in crunch time also represents a TEAM FAILURE.
Doc and Danny understand this. I’m pretty sure this message has been communicated to the team. The problem is there nothing anyone can say to make things click. Whatever needs to be said to the team undoubtedly has been said. Doc can keep fighting the good fight and keep on preaching the need to play team ball and trust each other. Reality tells me that things will either click or they won’t. I’ve got it at 50-50 whether it clicks or not.
How do I know my analysis is correct?
What disappointed me about that is that I told our guys, ‘We can’t act like we’re surprised to be up.’ We should have been up, and we should have been up more. So that was rough.
That was Doc Rivers talking. The Boston Celtics were surprised to have the lead at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. A Celtics' team that was expected by some to win 70 games or thereabouts is having crisis of confidence. A team that should have close to 40 wins and close to 10 losses now looks more likely to reach the .500 mark than they do of winning more than 50 games this season. And have you looked at the Atlantic Division standings recently? Toronto’s only 6 games out in the loss column!
So what gives?
Kevin Garnett’s knee. The Celtics play with uncertainty because they play not knowing whether their most important player will suit up, play a full game, or be forced to take more time off to rest. There is no "flow," no comfort level, no level of familiarity, no feeling of shared success. Even when he does suit up, no one knows what Kevin Garnett will show up. In the Ticket's absence, Rasheed’s warts become all the more apparent, which further unsettles the team. Assuming KG stays healthy, how much swagger can we expect to return? It depends on how long he stays healthy for. Remind anyone of the Bill Walton saga?
Bottom line is that the situation is what it is, and the Celtics just have to assume KG will be healthy, and try to get back on the same page with each other and start winning some games, the more the better. There’s plenty of time for this to happen, unless, of course, KG’s knee keeps acting up.
Bucks Win Game 4, Avoid Sweep
Bucks 122, Celtics 113
Game 4 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 3-1
MILWAUKEE
The Bucks aren't dead yet. In fact, they were very much alive last night when, with nothing but pride at stake, they showed the Celtics they would have to earn their ticket to the NBA finals.
Certainly, the Celtics had no idea they'd be ambushed by Milwaukee, 122-113, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference championships. And instead of sweeping into the finals, the Celtics were lucky to get out of town with their self-esteem intact as Milwaukee ran up a 16-point lead, held off a major Celtic run, then won going away.
What happened to the Celtics last night is not to be confused with the shocking defeats they suffered after having 2-0 leads in both the Washington and New York series. Boston didn't choke; the Bucks simply came out and took it to Celtics in a manner that had been expected all along.
Game 5 will be played tomorrow night at Boston Garden, where the Celtics have won eight straight playoff games. Game 6 of this best-of-seven series, if necessary, will be played here Friday night.
Larry Bird had 32 points to again lead Boston, but the Bucks finally got their running game in gear and produced a balanced scoring attack led by reserve guard Paul Pressey (22 points) and Junior Bridgeman (20).
Bird's fine stats (including 8 assists and 10 rebounds) were misleading, because for most of the evening he was a one-man band.
Boston's inside game, normally devastating against the Bucks, was off, Robert Parish hitting for just six points and Kevin McHale coming off the bench for six more. Celtic basketball, it wasn't.
The Celtics lost this one when Milwaukee came out running and built up a 61-46 lead at halftime. "Milwaukee didn't do anything we didn't expect," said coach K.C. Jones. "They played hard and showed tremendous pride and concentration. We didn't get out of the blocks at all. They opened it up, and went right at us."
Boston and Milwaukee are teams that like to run, and in their 109-100 loss Saturday, the Bucks had tried to open up the court by using their small starting lineup that included Bridgeman and Marques Johnson at forward, Sidney Moncrief and Mike Dunleavy at guard. This is the same unit that had played so well against New Jersey but until last night had not shot well.
It was a different story last night as Milwaukee broke fast and it was Boston that wilted. After leading by only 30-29 at the quarter, the Bucks outscored the Celtics, 31-17, in the second period.
The Celtics were not happy about what happened in that second period, and they gave officials Darell Garretson and Jess Kersey partial credit for the Bucks' breakaway as they broke up a 42-39 game with a 16-2 run.
Milwaukee, taking advantage of the fact the Celtics weren't helping out on defense, drove the middle again and again for layups or easy jump shots. Boston's inside game melted in a rash of physical play that upset Jones so much he blasted the officials every way he could - except by name. Jones was hit with a technical foul as the teams left the floor at the end of the second period.
"I didn't like the way our people were being held," fumed Jones. "Bob Lanier is a beautiful player and a leader. But he can hold with the best of them and block you off the court. It's amazing what was going on. Any time our guys touched somebody, we got a foul called."
But crying about the officials can't change the fact that Milwaukee is still alive in a series in which they were thought to be all but dead.
"I told my players it's a hard thing for any team to sweep another four games," said Bucks coach Don Nelson. "We did it last year, but something like that is a fluke. We're a proud team and a good team. It's hard to beat a good team four in a row."
As hard as it seemed when the Celtics trailed by 16 points, a comeback did not seem out of the question in the fourth quarter, and Bird almost singlehandedly led the rally. He scored 17 of his 32 points in the final period as Boston cut the lead to four points four times - the last at 104-100. Bird hit twisting jumpers and fast-break layups as the Bucks sweated out the loss of another big lead, as they had Saturday afternoon when Boston overcame a 15-point deficit to win.
But as Bird faded, so, too, did Boston, and Milwaukee's bench finally took up the slack. If it wasn't Pressey who did in the Celtics, it was reserve center Paul Mokeski, who got 12 points in 24 minutes.
"If we could have just gotten it to two points," said Bird, "it might have been a different story. But we missed a key shot at that point (104-100) and Mokeski came back and hit a big basket. After that, we never got over the hump."
Getting over the hump was a problem for a lot of Celtics, especially the big men: Parish hit 2 of 7 shots and McHale only 2 of 10.
"We depend a lot on our inside game," said Bird, "and if that is not going well, it puts a lot of pressure on the rest of our team. Our shots weren't going in, particularly in that second period. That's when the game was lost. We showed a lot of courgage in coming back, but we ran out of gas."
While the Celtics obviously would have preferred a sweep, said Cedric Maxwell, they are happy to come home with a 3-1 lead: "We accomplished what we wanted when we came here. We won one game and we've got a 3-1 lead. I like our position better than their position.
"We didn't shoot and we self-destructed in the last five minutes of the first half. But we haven't lost yet on our court, and I'm sure we'll beat them there."
Game 4 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 3-1
MILWAUKEE
The Bucks aren't dead yet. In fact, they were very much alive last night when, with nothing but pride at stake, they showed the Celtics they would have to earn their ticket to the NBA finals.
Certainly, the Celtics had no idea they'd be ambushed by Milwaukee, 122-113, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference championships. And instead of sweeping into the finals, the Celtics were lucky to get out of town with their self-esteem intact as Milwaukee ran up a 16-point lead, held off a major Celtic run, then won going away.
What happened to the Celtics last night is not to be confused with the shocking defeats they suffered after having 2-0 leads in both the Washington and New York series. Boston didn't choke; the Bucks simply came out and took it to Celtics in a manner that had been expected all along.
Game 5 will be played tomorrow night at Boston Garden, where the Celtics have won eight straight playoff games. Game 6 of this best-of-seven series, if necessary, will be played here Friday night.
Larry Bird had 32 points to again lead Boston, but the Bucks finally got their running game in gear and produced a balanced scoring attack led by reserve guard Paul Pressey (22 points) and Junior Bridgeman (20).
Bird's fine stats (including 8 assists and 10 rebounds) were misleading, because for most of the evening he was a one-man band.
Boston's inside game, normally devastating against the Bucks, was off, Robert Parish hitting for just six points and Kevin McHale coming off the bench for six more. Celtic basketball, it wasn't.
The Celtics lost this one when Milwaukee came out running and built up a 61-46 lead at halftime. "Milwaukee didn't do anything we didn't expect," said coach K.C. Jones. "They played hard and showed tremendous pride and concentration. We didn't get out of the blocks at all. They opened it up, and went right at us."
Boston and Milwaukee are teams that like to run, and in their 109-100 loss Saturday, the Bucks had tried to open up the court by using their small starting lineup that included Bridgeman and Marques Johnson at forward, Sidney Moncrief and Mike Dunleavy at guard. This is the same unit that had played so well against New Jersey but until last night had not shot well.
It was a different story last night as Milwaukee broke fast and it was Boston that wilted. After leading by only 30-29 at the quarter, the Bucks outscored the Celtics, 31-17, in the second period.
The Celtics were not happy about what happened in that second period, and they gave officials Darell Garretson and Jess Kersey partial credit for the Bucks' breakaway as they broke up a 42-39 game with a 16-2 run.
Milwaukee, taking advantage of the fact the Celtics weren't helping out on defense, drove the middle again and again for layups or easy jump shots. Boston's inside game melted in a rash of physical play that upset Jones so much he blasted the officials every way he could - except by name. Jones was hit with a technical foul as the teams left the floor at the end of the second period.
"I didn't like the way our people were being held," fumed Jones. "Bob Lanier is a beautiful player and a leader. But he can hold with the best of them and block you off the court. It's amazing what was going on. Any time our guys touched somebody, we got a foul called."
But crying about the officials can't change the fact that Milwaukee is still alive in a series in which they were thought to be all but dead.
"I told my players it's a hard thing for any team to sweep another four games," said Bucks coach Don Nelson. "We did it last year, but something like that is a fluke. We're a proud team and a good team. It's hard to beat a good team four in a row."
As hard as it seemed when the Celtics trailed by 16 points, a comeback did not seem out of the question in the fourth quarter, and Bird almost singlehandedly led the rally. He scored 17 of his 32 points in the final period as Boston cut the lead to four points four times - the last at 104-100. Bird hit twisting jumpers and fast-break layups as the Bucks sweated out the loss of another big lead, as they had Saturday afternoon when Boston overcame a 15-point deficit to win.
But as Bird faded, so, too, did Boston, and Milwaukee's bench finally took up the slack. If it wasn't Pressey who did in the Celtics, it was reserve center Paul Mokeski, who got 12 points in 24 minutes.
"If we could have just gotten it to two points," said Bird, "it might have been a different story. But we missed a key shot at that point (104-100) and Mokeski came back and hit a big basket. After that, we never got over the hump."
Getting over the hump was a problem for a lot of Celtics, especially the big men: Parish hit 2 of 7 shots and McHale only 2 of 10.
"We depend a lot on our inside game," said Bird, "and if that is not going well, it puts a lot of pressure on the rest of our team. Our shots weren't going in, particularly in that second period. That's when the game was lost. We showed a lot of courgage in coming back, but we ran out of gas."
While the Celtics obviously would have preferred a sweep, said Cedric Maxwell, they are happy to come home with a 3-1 lead: "We accomplished what we wanted when we came here. We won one game and we've got a 3-1 lead. I like our position better than their position.
"We didn't shoot and we self-destructed in the last five minutes of the first half. But we haven't lost yet on our court, and I'm sure we'll beat them there."
KC Jones Deserves Credit for Celtics Resurgence
Celtics 109, Bucks 100
Game 3 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 3-0
MILWAUKEE
There is only one difference between the disaster of a year ago and the Celtics' mastery in this situation this season.
His name is K.C. Jones.
For some reason, as he has led his team to the best record in the NBA and through the league's toughest playoff schedule, Bostonians have seemed to dismiss K.C. Jones. Instead, we should all be embracing him.
Think of it. Have you heard anyone - your neighbor, your tennis partner, the guy who sits across from you at work, any of them - say, "Hey, that K.C. Jones has done a hell of a job"?
Nope. It has been Larry this, and Max that, and DJ's OK, and McHale can't be matched up.
But when you dissect what has happened between Milwaukee's blitz in four games a year ago and the Celtics' shoving it back in their faces this year, you can't escape K.C. Jones.
The only player of consequence who was not here a year ago is Dennis Johnson, a key contributor in the Celtics' 3-0 lead going into tonight's fourth game of the Eastern Conference championships. And Johnson wouldn't be here if K.C. Jones didn't have to go for a painful double - the trading of Rick Robey (with whom he was in business in a Quincy Market shop) and the gambling on Johnson, who had the reputation from Seattle and Phoenix of being a tough player to handle.
"A year ago I was just like a babysitter around here," said Jones after he put his team through a light workout yesterday morning. "I would work with guys like Rick and Danny Ainge and Charles Bradley, trying to keep them pumped up.
"Then the first thing I had to do was trade Rick. I just sat him down and told him why I was going to do it. Then I took the starting job away from Danny, and I cut Charles Bradley. I wasn't trying to prove anything. I just did what I thought was right."
K.C. Jones does not fit the mold of a popular coach in Boston. We go for the screamers. Dick Williams. Tommy Heinsohn. Red Auerbach. Don Cherry. The guys who were demonstrative and controversial. K.C. Jones is quiet and pensive.
"When I got this job I had been away from head coaching for seven years. I had some doubts. I could feel this cloud hanging over my head. I knew a lot of people had questions. I even wondered myself.
"Then I just made up my mind to block out anything that was going to be negative and just concentrate on what I had to do with this team.
"I came to camp without any master plan. I just copied the guy (Bill Fitch) who was here before me, using the system we had had over the past few years. But as the season progressed we started to change a lot of it."
The biggest thing he wanted to do was allow his players to enjoy the game. And he has succeeded.
"We have been playing basketball for nine months now," says assistant coach Jimmy Rodgers, "and no one wants to go home. Everyone is having so much fun around this team they want to keep on practicing and playing. None of us want to see this season end."
The vast majority of the players credit Jones with creating a winning atmosphere by developing an attitude around the club that is positive and enjoyable. Technically, he has made Boston one of the toughest teams in the league.
"A year ago," says Alton Lister of the Bucks, "they were very predictable. We knew what they were going to do on offense and it was much easier to defense them. This year they are the best unpredictable team in the league."
"What K.C. has done," says Heinsohn, "is put the ball in the hands of Larry Bird and let him create. Hubie (Brown) says Larry is the greatest passer in the game. I talked with Nellie (Bucks coach Don Nelson) and he says they can't handle the Boston offense that well because they never know what Bird is going to do with the ball."
In a game in Boston in early March, the Celtics lost to the Knicks by two points after having the chance to tie the game at the end.
"We had the ball and the time to score and put it into overtime," says Jones, "and we never got it into Larry's hands. I said to myself after that he was going get the ball. What we have done is make a point guard out of him. Then when they double him, this lets the rest of our guys use their imagination. They know if they come open he's going to get the ball to them."
This is why the rest of the league is having trouble setting up a defense for Boston. Once the ball goes into Bird's hands, his teammates can freelance.
"Our guys are getting used to it," says Rodgers. "They like the idea of being creative. We have plays just like everyone else, but we have been going away from them more than any other team."
"In the past two years everyone in the league was giving us the Philly defense: they would double-down on our big guys and make us take the jump shots. We have developed things to beat that. Now they have to do other things." Perhaps the thing that worried people most about K.C. Jones being the Celtics coach was whether this soft-spoken, mild-mannered man would be tough when he had to be.
"I feel that if you yell and get on players all of the time they just tune you out, and after a while they don't listen. I get on them only when I think it is important."
Halftime Saturday, when the Celtics trailed by 13, was one of those rare moments. "K.C. came after us," Bird said with a smile after the game. "He was very upset with us in the dressing room and told everyone just how he felt."
"He is as good a bench coach as there is in the league right now," says Auerbach. "No coach has substituted better than K.C. has."
Game 3 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 3-0
MILWAUKEE
There is only one difference between the disaster of a year ago and the Celtics' mastery in this situation this season.
His name is K.C. Jones.
For some reason, as he has led his team to the best record in the NBA and through the league's toughest playoff schedule, Bostonians have seemed to dismiss K.C. Jones. Instead, we should all be embracing him.
Think of it. Have you heard anyone - your neighbor, your tennis partner, the guy who sits across from you at work, any of them - say, "Hey, that K.C. Jones has done a hell of a job"?
Nope. It has been Larry this, and Max that, and DJ's OK, and McHale can't be matched up.
But when you dissect what has happened between Milwaukee's blitz in four games a year ago and the Celtics' shoving it back in their faces this year, you can't escape K.C. Jones.
The only player of consequence who was not here a year ago is Dennis Johnson, a key contributor in the Celtics' 3-0 lead going into tonight's fourth game of the Eastern Conference championships. And Johnson wouldn't be here if K.C. Jones didn't have to go for a painful double - the trading of Rick Robey (with whom he was in business in a Quincy Market shop) and the gambling on Johnson, who had the reputation from Seattle and Phoenix of being a tough player to handle.
"A year ago I was just like a babysitter around here," said Jones after he put his team through a light workout yesterday morning. "I would work with guys like Rick and Danny Ainge and Charles Bradley, trying to keep them pumped up.
"Then the first thing I had to do was trade Rick. I just sat him down and told him why I was going to do it. Then I took the starting job away from Danny, and I cut Charles Bradley. I wasn't trying to prove anything. I just did what I thought was right."
K.C. Jones does not fit the mold of a popular coach in Boston. We go for the screamers. Dick Williams. Tommy Heinsohn. Red Auerbach. Don Cherry. The guys who were demonstrative and controversial. K.C. Jones is quiet and pensive.
"When I got this job I had been away from head coaching for seven years. I had some doubts. I could feel this cloud hanging over my head. I knew a lot of people had questions. I even wondered myself.
"Then I just made up my mind to block out anything that was going to be negative and just concentrate on what I had to do with this team.
"I came to camp without any master plan. I just copied the guy (Bill Fitch) who was here before me, using the system we had had over the past few years. But as the season progressed we started to change a lot of it."
The biggest thing he wanted to do was allow his players to enjoy the game. And he has succeeded.
"We have been playing basketball for nine months now," says assistant coach Jimmy Rodgers, "and no one wants to go home. Everyone is having so much fun around this team they want to keep on practicing and playing. None of us want to see this season end."
The vast majority of the players credit Jones with creating a winning atmosphere by developing an attitude around the club that is positive and enjoyable. Technically, he has made Boston one of the toughest teams in the league.
"A year ago," says Alton Lister of the Bucks, "they were very predictable. We knew what they were going to do on offense and it was much easier to defense them. This year they are the best unpredictable team in the league."
"What K.C. has done," says Heinsohn, "is put the ball in the hands of Larry Bird and let him create. Hubie (Brown) says Larry is the greatest passer in the game. I talked with Nellie (Bucks coach Don Nelson) and he says they can't handle the Boston offense that well because they never know what Bird is going to do with the ball."
In a game in Boston in early March, the Celtics lost to the Knicks by two points after having the chance to tie the game at the end.
"We had the ball and the time to score and put it into overtime," says Jones, "and we never got it into Larry's hands. I said to myself after that he was going get the ball. What we have done is make a point guard out of him. Then when they double him, this lets the rest of our guys use their imagination. They know if they come open he's going to get the ball to them."
This is why the rest of the league is having trouble setting up a defense for Boston. Once the ball goes into Bird's hands, his teammates can freelance.
"Our guys are getting used to it," says Rodgers. "They like the idea of being creative. We have plays just like everyone else, but we have been going away from them more than any other team."
"In the past two years everyone in the league was giving us the Philly defense: they would double-down on our big guys and make us take the jump shots. We have developed things to beat that. Now they have to do other things." Perhaps the thing that worried people most about K.C. Jones being the Celtics coach was whether this soft-spoken, mild-mannered man would be tough when he had to be.
"I feel that if you yell and get on players all of the time they just tune you out, and after a while they don't listen. I get on them only when I think it is important."
Halftime Saturday, when the Celtics trailed by 13, was one of those rare moments. "K.C. came after us," Bird said with a smile after the game. "He was very upset with us in the dressing room and told everyone just how he felt."
"He is as good a bench coach as there is in the league right now," says Auerbach. "No coach has substituted better than K.C. has."
C's Face 16th Loss of the Year
Dig that.
The Boston Celtics are 29-15. If they lose today at home against the Fakers, and the way the Celtics have been playing, they may not only lose, but get humiliated while doing so, the team will have as many losses after 45 games as the 2007-08 Celtics did after 82 games.
And this from a squad that some were predicting to win 70 games, including certain Celtics' players themselves.
As Huey Lewis once said, sometimes bad is bad.
The Boston Celtics are 29-15. If they lose today at home against the Fakers, and the way the Celtics have been playing, they may not only lose, but get humiliated while doing so, the team will have as many losses after 45 games as the 2007-08 Celtics did after 82 games.
And this from a squad that some were predicting to win 70 games, including certain Celtics' players themselves.
As Huey Lewis once said, sometimes bad is bad.
C's Aim to Avenge Sweep after Taking Game 3
Celtics 109, Bucks 100
Game 3 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 3-0
MILWAUKEE
It's not often you have a chance to fire the guy who fired you, or dump the sweetheart who gave you the heave.
The Celtics have that chance. As the season of healing and harmony moves toward its ultimate goal, fate has allowed Boston's storied basketball franchise a measure of revenge and respect in the same dance hall where it was shattered one year ago.
Yesterday's 109-100 victory over the Bucks pushed Boston's edge in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals to 3-0. With another win in the Mecca tomorrow night (8, Sportschannel), the Celtics can sweep the team that swept them.
This series has been touched by none of the sophomoric slander and public mugging that marked Boston's bouts with New York and Washington. But one senses that the Celtics know they are better than the Bucks.
Yesterday, Boston won on an afternoon when Gerald Henderson had a Ray Williams trick-or-treat game, Robert Parish was held to seven shots and 10 points, Kevin McHale went 3 for 8 from the floor, and Larry Bird committed eight turnovers.
The Celtics fell behind by 15 in the first minute of the second half, but stung the Bucks with an 18-4 third-quarter surge and held Milwaukee to two free throws in the final 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
"They needed to win this game," said Cedric Maxwell, who had 19 points and six rebounds. "I don't think they can win four straight. I would hate to be in their locker room. They're not dead, but their pulse rate has got to be pretty low."
"We played with a lot of effort, but Boston came out here and just outplayed us again," admitted Milwaukee forward Marques Johnson, who had 16 points.
In the first half, the Bucks shot 52 percent to Boston's 44, and outrebounded the Celtics, 26-16. After intermission, the Celtics hit 56 percent to Milwaukee's 34 while outrebounding the home team, 24-17.
Henderson typified Boston's psychopathic personality. He was a poor man's Lorenzo Romar in the first half, but scored 19 on 7-for-11 shooting in the final two quarters. "At halftime we basically just plugged in Gerald," said Maxwell. "He had a pinball first half and an all-star second half."
With Sidney Moncrief (22 points), Marques and Mike Dunleavy doing most of the scoring, the Bucks plowed their way to a 49-48 lead late in the second, then ripped off 12 in a row to cruise to a 63-50 halftime lead. And let the record show that Milwaukee received a tremendous boost from much-maligned backup center Paul Mokeski. Mighty Mo had eight rebounds in the first half, and finished with a dozen rebounds and points.
Something happened to the Celtics after halftime. "It was a whole different world," said assistant coach Chris Ford. "Our intensity was there, we were pushing the ball up the floor again, and playing great defense. It was an up-tempo, 90-foot game, and that's our best game."
Boston's 18-4 run took the Celtics from 65-50 to within one, 69-68, in five minutes. Henderson, who scored 11 in the quarter, had six of the 18, and Bird (28 points) added five.
"That's probably the best quarter we've played all year," said Bird. "We just put our minds to it and got it done."
A Henderson three-pointer gave the Celtics a brief lead, but Milwaukee was up by three after three.
A controversial sequence turned things around early in the fourth. With Milwaukee leading, 87-82, the Bucks were tagged with two illegal defense technicals in a span of seven seconds. Free throw artist Bird made both, then scored on a right-to-left drive as he was fouled and made one more free throw to tie the game.
"Has anybody ever scored five straight points without crossing halfcourt?" asked M.L. Carr.
Bucks coach Don Nelson didn't argue with referees Jake O'Donnell and Jack Madden. "It hurt us a lot," said Nelson, "but it was the right call."
Three-point plays by Maxwell and Henderson pushed the Celtics into a small lead, but it was Dennis Johnson (19 points) who broke the Bucks with an outrageous, shot clock-beating prayer as he was falling out of bounds in the right corner. DJ's backbreaker made it 99-93 with 5:11 left.
DJ called it "my 22-foot, turnaround, fallaway, lay-back-on-the-floor-and- smile" shot.
Bucks assistant coach Garry St. Jean said, "When he made that shot as the buzzer went off, sometimes you wonder what your destiny is."
The Celtics cooled off and Marques cut it to 99-98 with a fast-break jam with 3:20 showing.
The Bucks didn't score again until Moncrief made two free throws with 41 seconds left. In the meantime, Bird and Parish hit from out top, Henderson and Parish made free throws, and Parish (16 rebounds) snatched a succession of Milwaukee misfires.
"They have to be very down," said Celtics coach K.C. Jones. "After coming back here and getting such a great effort, I would have to think their confidence has suffered."
"I can't ask any more of my club than they gave me," said Nelson. "We played hard, we played well, and we were still beaten."
Game 3 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 3-0
MILWAUKEE
It's not often you have a chance to fire the guy who fired you, or dump the sweetheart who gave you the heave.
The Celtics have that chance. As the season of healing and harmony moves toward its ultimate goal, fate has allowed Boston's storied basketball franchise a measure of revenge and respect in the same dance hall where it was shattered one year ago.
Yesterday's 109-100 victory over the Bucks pushed Boston's edge in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals to 3-0. With another win in the Mecca tomorrow night (8, Sportschannel), the Celtics can sweep the team that swept them.
This series has been touched by none of the sophomoric slander and public mugging that marked Boston's bouts with New York and Washington. But one senses that the Celtics know they are better than the Bucks.
Yesterday, Boston won on an afternoon when Gerald Henderson had a Ray Williams trick-or-treat game, Robert Parish was held to seven shots and 10 points, Kevin McHale went 3 for 8 from the floor, and Larry Bird committed eight turnovers.
The Celtics fell behind by 15 in the first minute of the second half, but stung the Bucks with an 18-4 third-quarter surge and held Milwaukee to two free throws in the final 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
"They needed to win this game," said Cedric Maxwell, who had 19 points and six rebounds. "I don't think they can win four straight. I would hate to be in their locker room. They're not dead, but their pulse rate has got to be pretty low."
"We played with a lot of effort, but Boston came out here and just outplayed us again," admitted Milwaukee forward Marques Johnson, who had 16 points.
In the first half, the Bucks shot 52 percent to Boston's 44, and outrebounded the Celtics, 26-16. After intermission, the Celtics hit 56 percent to Milwaukee's 34 while outrebounding the home team, 24-17.
Henderson typified Boston's psychopathic personality. He was a poor man's Lorenzo Romar in the first half, but scored 19 on 7-for-11 shooting in the final two quarters. "At halftime we basically just plugged in Gerald," said Maxwell. "He had a pinball first half and an all-star second half."
With Sidney Moncrief (22 points), Marques and Mike Dunleavy doing most of the scoring, the Bucks plowed their way to a 49-48 lead late in the second, then ripped off 12 in a row to cruise to a 63-50 halftime lead. And let the record show that Milwaukee received a tremendous boost from much-maligned backup center Paul Mokeski. Mighty Mo had eight rebounds in the first half, and finished with a dozen rebounds and points.
Something happened to the Celtics after halftime. "It was a whole different world," said assistant coach Chris Ford. "Our intensity was there, we were pushing the ball up the floor again, and playing great defense. It was an up-tempo, 90-foot game, and that's our best game."
Boston's 18-4 run took the Celtics from 65-50 to within one, 69-68, in five minutes. Henderson, who scored 11 in the quarter, had six of the 18, and Bird (28 points) added five.
"That's probably the best quarter we've played all year," said Bird. "We just put our minds to it and got it done."
A Henderson three-pointer gave the Celtics a brief lead, but Milwaukee was up by three after three.
A controversial sequence turned things around early in the fourth. With Milwaukee leading, 87-82, the Bucks were tagged with two illegal defense technicals in a span of seven seconds. Free throw artist Bird made both, then scored on a right-to-left drive as he was fouled and made one more free throw to tie the game.
"Has anybody ever scored five straight points without crossing halfcourt?" asked M.L. Carr.
Bucks coach Don Nelson didn't argue with referees Jake O'Donnell and Jack Madden. "It hurt us a lot," said Nelson, "but it was the right call."
Three-point plays by Maxwell and Henderson pushed the Celtics into a small lead, but it was Dennis Johnson (19 points) who broke the Bucks with an outrageous, shot clock-beating prayer as he was falling out of bounds in the right corner. DJ's backbreaker made it 99-93 with 5:11 left.
DJ called it "my 22-foot, turnaround, fallaway, lay-back-on-the-floor-and- smile" shot.
Bucks assistant coach Garry St. Jean said, "When he made that shot as the buzzer went off, sometimes you wonder what your destiny is."
The Celtics cooled off and Marques cut it to 99-98 with a fast-break jam with 3:20 showing.
The Bucks didn't score again until Moncrief made two free throws with 41 seconds left. In the meantime, Bird and Parish hit from out top, Henderson and Parish made free throws, and Parish (16 rebounds) snatched a succession of Milwaukee misfires.
"They have to be very down," said Celtics coach K.C. Jones. "After coming back here and getting such a great effort, I would have to think their confidence has suffered."
"I can't ask any more of my club than they gave me," said Nelson. "We played hard, we played well, and we were still beaten."
Pau Gasol: KG's Only Been a Good Defender for a Few Seasons
"I don't know about 14 seasons," Gasoft said when told that Garnett had been one of the league's best defenders for the past 14 seasons. "But a few, sure. My understanding is that leg is not completely healthy and I seen him play and I don't know how much he's struggling and hurting with it because his injury was never clear to the public. But I am just going to try to be aggressive with him. It doesn't matter how his leg is feeling or doing. He's playing. He's competing. He's a competitor and helping out with his team.
LINK
LINK
Kevin McHale: Sixth Man of the First Quarter
Celtics 125, Bucks 110
Game 2 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 2-0
Like an earthquake, it didn't last long but when it was through shaking (and in this case baking) irreparable damage had been done.
It lasted just 3 minutes, 15 seconds and, as so often happens, it came early while most of Milwaukee slept. But when it was finished there was nothing left of the proud Bucks but ruins.
Oh, sure, the game was still young after Kevin McHale had poured in 14 points between the final 2:18 of the first quarter and the first :57 of the second.
Oh, sure, the Bucks had plenty of time to come back despite trailing by 16, 37-21, with 11:03 to play in the half.
Oh, sure, once the shaking stops you can rebuild on more solid ground.
Oh, sure.
"You don't make comebacks all the way," Bucks coach Don Nelson admitted after McHale's 24 points had greatly aided his Celtic teammates in their 125-110 destruction of Milwaukee in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals last night at the Garden.
"They are a very good squad . . . It's very tough to have to play a team like that, coming from behind."
Such a task becomes especially tough after the man you have spent two days designing a defense to stop tears your plan to shreds in less time than it takes Michael Jackson to sing "Beat It."
For two days, ever since he watched his team being demolished in Game 1, Nelson had been hatching an intricate plan to stop McHale. Nelson tinkered with his lineup and his thinking, finally settling on the idea of starting sixth man Junior Bridgeman instead of Alton Lister.
This move allowed Nelson to match the 6-foot-11 Lister against the 6-10 McHale rather than creating a straight, sixth-man mismatch of McHale and the 6-5 Bridgeman.
It seemed a perfect plan to Nelson.
It turned out to be perfectly ruinous.
"McHale is a difficult matchup for us, but by starting Junior and keeping Lister out we stayed a jump ahead of them with substitutions," Nelson said. "But McHale still had a great first half."
The run that made that half (and the Celtics' victory) began with the kind of shot that tells you something. It was short enough, just a five-foot turnaround hook from the baseline, but once it went in Kevin McHale knew this was his night.
"When I threw it up from behind the basket and it went in I said, Oh, my. I got it tonight,' " McHale said.
"I felt very comfortable from the moment it went in. I was keyed up to play since 1 o'clock. Then I hit a couple shots and they started going to me.
"When a professional player gets that feeling it really doesn't matter who's guarding him. You're very in tune with things. You know when you've got it. That's when you try to get the ball in a position to shoot.
"If you do, you'll normally shoot a high percentage."
McHale shot about as high as you can expect, going 5 for 6 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line in the first half, exhibiting the kind of accuracy that convinces one's teammates to pass the basketball.
"The hot man gets the ball," Celtics coach K.C. Jones said. "Pure and simple: Kevin McHale was the guy and we kept going to him."
And McHale kept going to the basket, leaning in for a six-footer from the lane, and then forcing three straight Buck fouls in the final 64 seconds with drives to the basket that were ultimately translated into six points and a 32-21 first-quarter lead.
What had once been a five-point game was quickly turning into a dilemma. And before long that dilemma would become disaster.
A nine-foot McHale fallaway from the lane opened the second quarter. He followed that with a reverse lay up off a baseline drive. Both were unanswered.
And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. All was quiet, or at least reasonably so, after a misplaced Lister elbow found a home in McHale's groin.
But by then the damage was done, as were the Bucks.
"When you can get a 17- or 18-point lead early - even if the other team runs off six or eight - they look at the scoreboard and feel like they haven't accomplished a thing," McHale said.
"Then you get a couple of baskets and they look and they're still down by 15."
Down, and in this case, out.
Game 2 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 2-0
Like an earthquake, it didn't last long but when it was through shaking (and in this case baking) irreparable damage had been done.
It lasted just 3 minutes, 15 seconds and, as so often happens, it came early while most of Milwaukee slept. But when it was finished there was nothing left of the proud Bucks but ruins.
Oh, sure, the game was still young after Kevin McHale had poured in 14 points between the final 2:18 of the first quarter and the first :57 of the second.
Oh, sure, the Bucks had plenty of time to come back despite trailing by 16, 37-21, with 11:03 to play in the half.
Oh, sure, once the shaking stops you can rebuild on more solid ground.
Oh, sure.
"You don't make comebacks all the way," Bucks coach Don Nelson admitted after McHale's 24 points had greatly aided his Celtic teammates in their 125-110 destruction of Milwaukee in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals last night at the Garden.
"They are a very good squad . . . It's very tough to have to play a team like that, coming from behind."
Such a task becomes especially tough after the man you have spent two days designing a defense to stop tears your plan to shreds in less time than it takes Michael Jackson to sing "Beat It."
For two days, ever since he watched his team being demolished in Game 1, Nelson had been hatching an intricate plan to stop McHale. Nelson tinkered with his lineup and his thinking, finally settling on the idea of starting sixth man Junior Bridgeman instead of Alton Lister.
This move allowed Nelson to match the 6-foot-11 Lister against the 6-10 McHale rather than creating a straight, sixth-man mismatch of McHale and the 6-5 Bridgeman.
It seemed a perfect plan to Nelson.
It turned out to be perfectly ruinous.
"McHale is a difficult matchup for us, but by starting Junior and keeping Lister out we stayed a jump ahead of them with substitutions," Nelson said. "But McHale still had a great first half."
The run that made that half (and the Celtics' victory) began with the kind of shot that tells you something. It was short enough, just a five-foot turnaround hook from the baseline, but once it went in Kevin McHale knew this was his night.
"When I threw it up from behind the basket and it went in I said, Oh, my. I got it tonight,' " McHale said.
"I felt very comfortable from the moment it went in. I was keyed up to play since 1 o'clock. Then I hit a couple shots and they started going to me.
"When a professional player gets that feeling it really doesn't matter who's guarding him. You're very in tune with things. You know when you've got it. That's when you try to get the ball in a position to shoot.
"If you do, you'll normally shoot a high percentage."
McHale shot about as high as you can expect, going 5 for 6 from the field and 8 for 8 from the line in the first half, exhibiting the kind of accuracy that convinces one's teammates to pass the basketball.
"The hot man gets the ball," Celtics coach K.C. Jones said. "Pure and simple: Kevin McHale was the guy and we kept going to him."
And McHale kept going to the basket, leaning in for a six-footer from the lane, and then forcing three straight Buck fouls in the final 64 seconds with drives to the basket that were ultimately translated into six points and a 32-21 first-quarter lead.
What had once been a five-point game was quickly turning into a dilemma. And before long that dilemma would become disaster.
A nine-foot McHale fallaway from the lane opened the second quarter. He followed that with a reverse lay up off a baseline drive. Both were unanswered.
And then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. All was quiet, or at least reasonably so, after a misplaced Lister elbow found a home in McHale's groin.
But by then the damage was done, as were the Bucks.
"When you can get a 17- or 18-point lead early - even if the other team runs off six or eight - they look at the scoreboard and feel like they haven't accomplished a thing," McHale said.
"Then you get a couple of baskets and they look and they're still down by 15."
Down, and in this case, out.
DJ & Celtics Take 2-0 Lead Over Bucks
Celtics 125, Bucks 110
Game 2 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 2-0
Is it possible that the broom has been passed? Are the sweepees of 1983 about to turn the same trick on the Golden Pond Gang from Milwaukee?
It would be hard to take a contrary position after watching the Celtics' 125-110 nuking of the Bucks last night in Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference final.
But before Celtics fans start chanting "Beat LA," they might be reminded that the Celtics also defeated the Bullets and Knicks two straight in the Garden. Boston is 8-0 at home during this postseason, but 1-4 on the road, and Milwaukee's Wheeze Kids believe that they are capable of beating the Celtics at the Mecca.
Kevin McHale isn't putting his green 16-D's into his mouth this time. Careful to keep the Bucks off the obit page (he said the Knicks were "in the grave" after Game 2), Boston's sixth man said, "Mr. McHale is a good boy now. I touched the stove once and got burned. My dad told me not to do it again."
McHale's vaporized the Bucks last night with 14 points in 3:15 of the first half. The pride of Hibbing, Minn., finished with 24, which merited the third star of the evening. He was outdone only by Larry Bird (32 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, three steals) and Dennis Johnson (26 points on 9-of-17 shooting).
"I can score, and sometimes I get hot," said DJ, who is averaging 20 points in the three games since his shoulder injury. "I just had a good night shooting. They come around every time Halley's comet flies by."
While DJ is looking to the sky, the Bucks have to be wondering what happened between here and East Rutherford, N.J. Milwaukee wasn't handed a ticket to this championship round. The Bucks beat the Hawks in five, the Nets (who beat the vaunted Sixers) in six and have not changed appreciably since they smoked the Celtics in four straight one year ago.
The Bucks missed 18 of 24 shots in the first quarter last night and trailed, 32-21, after one. They were down by 23 in the second period, and it was an embarrassing 72-48 early in the third. In two Garden games, they led for a total of 30 seconds (4-3 in Game 1) and shot 43 percent (77-179).
"We're not doing it intentionally," said the estimable Sidney Moncrief (22 points, 7 rebounds). "Of course, we'd like to play better, but we haven't done that. We don't have any excuses. We just have to play better."
Last night's blowout was like every Celtics home game since the Knicks came to town. Boston dominated the first half and cruised after intermission.
Try these first-half numbers: The Celtics shot 56 percent to Milwaukee's 35. Bird had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, while McHale came off the bench for 18. Boston committed only four turnovers. Milwaukee's Bob Lanier was a 2-for-6 no-show. In the last five minutes of the first quarter and the first two of the second, Milwaukee scored one basket.
Don Nelson pulled a minor upset by starting Junior Bridgeman instead of Alton Lister. That meant Lanier was the only Buck over 6-feet-6 in the starting lineup, but Nelson wanted Lister off the bench to match up with McHale.
The Bucks missed their first five shots - including a Marques Johnson airball and a Lanier attempt that was blocked by Robert Parish. It should be noted that although he scored only 10 points, Parish turned in his second straight strong defensive job on Lanier, who has but 14 points in two games.
Leading, 20-17, with 3:22 left in the first, the Celtics made their move. Bird started a 10-minute, 33-13 run with a dazzling lefthander in the lane. Then McHale exploded with two switchblade moves inside, followed by six free throws.
Lister was helpless. When Milwaukee's scowling big man finally had a chance to vent his frustration, he missed a dunk on a three-on-one breakaway. Boston led, 32-21, after one.
It was the same story early in the second. McHale scored seemingly at will over Lister as the Bucks kept missing. A transition drive and layup by Cedric Maxwell made it 47-28. Then Bird hit two free throws (after Moncrief's third foul) and a foul-line jumper to make it 53-30 with 5:39 left in the half. Nelson called for time.
"We're not a high-scoring team, but tonight we got our shots. They just didn't go down," said Nelson.
Marques Johnson (29) fought his way to 12 second-period points, but the Bucks couldn't get any closer than 15 for the rest of the half. It was 67-48 at the half.
DJ slithered and crashed for five straight after intermission, and it got to 72-48 before the Bucks finally fought back. Marques, Bridgeman (17) and Moncrief made a dent, and the Bucks hit 13 of 14 from the line. Still, you got the feeling the Celtics weren't worried, because K.C. Jones inserted Greg Kite for Bird (Carroll Hardy for Ted Williams?) with 1:36 left in the third period.
Milwaukee trimmed the lead to 12 a couple of times in the fourth but couldn't stop the curtain calls - an in-your-face three-pointer by M.L. Carr.
"I know one thing," said Lanier. "If we lose the next two, we're in trouble."
Game 2 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 2-0
Is it possible that the broom has been passed? Are the sweepees of 1983 about to turn the same trick on the Golden Pond Gang from Milwaukee?
It would be hard to take a contrary position after watching the Celtics' 125-110 nuking of the Bucks last night in Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference final.
But before Celtics fans start chanting "Beat LA," they might be reminded that the Celtics also defeated the Bullets and Knicks two straight in the Garden. Boston is 8-0 at home during this postseason, but 1-4 on the road, and Milwaukee's Wheeze Kids believe that they are capable of beating the Celtics at the Mecca.
Kevin McHale isn't putting his green 16-D's into his mouth this time. Careful to keep the Bucks off the obit page (he said the Knicks were "in the grave" after Game 2), Boston's sixth man said, "Mr. McHale is a good boy now. I touched the stove once and got burned. My dad told me not to do it again."
McHale's vaporized the Bucks last night with 14 points in 3:15 of the first half. The pride of Hibbing, Minn., finished with 24, which merited the third star of the evening. He was outdone only by Larry Bird (32 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, three steals) and Dennis Johnson (26 points on 9-of-17 shooting).
"I can score, and sometimes I get hot," said DJ, who is averaging 20 points in the three games since his shoulder injury. "I just had a good night shooting. They come around every time Halley's comet flies by."
While DJ is looking to the sky, the Bucks have to be wondering what happened between here and East Rutherford, N.J. Milwaukee wasn't handed a ticket to this championship round. The Bucks beat the Hawks in five, the Nets (who beat the vaunted Sixers) in six and have not changed appreciably since they smoked the Celtics in four straight one year ago.
The Bucks missed 18 of 24 shots in the first quarter last night and trailed, 32-21, after one. They were down by 23 in the second period, and it was an embarrassing 72-48 early in the third. In two Garden games, they led for a total of 30 seconds (4-3 in Game 1) and shot 43 percent (77-179).
"We're not doing it intentionally," said the estimable Sidney Moncrief (22 points, 7 rebounds). "Of course, we'd like to play better, but we haven't done that. We don't have any excuses. We just have to play better."
Last night's blowout was like every Celtics home game since the Knicks came to town. Boston dominated the first half and cruised after intermission.
Try these first-half numbers: The Celtics shot 56 percent to Milwaukee's 35. Bird had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, while McHale came off the bench for 18. Boston committed only four turnovers. Milwaukee's Bob Lanier was a 2-for-6 no-show. In the last five minutes of the first quarter and the first two of the second, Milwaukee scored one basket.
Don Nelson pulled a minor upset by starting Junior Bridgeman instead of Alton Lister. That meant Lanier was the only Buck over 6-feet-6 in the starting lineup, but Nelson wanted Lister off the bench to match up with McHale.
The Bucks missed their first five shots - including a Marques Johnson airball and a Lanier attempt that was blocked by Robert Parish. It should be noted that although he scored only 10 points, Parish turned in his second straight strong defensive job on Lanier, who has but 14 points in two games.
Leading, 20-17, with 3:22 left in the first, the Celtics made their move. Bird started a 10-minute, 33-13 run with a dazzling lefthander in the lane. Then McHale exploded with two switchblade moves inside, followed by six free throws.
Lister was helpless. When Milwaukee's scowling big man finally had a chance to vent his frustration, he missed a dunk on a three-on-one breakaway. Boston led, 32-21, after one.
It was the same story early in the second. McHale scored seemingly at will over Lister as the Bucks kept missing. A transition drive and layup by Cedric Maxwell made it 47-28. Then Bird hit two free throws (after Moncrief's third foul) and a foul-line jumper to make it 53-30 with 5:39 left in the half. Nelson called for time.
"We're not a high-scoring team, but tonight we got our shots. They just didn't go down," said Nelson.
Marques Johnson (29) fought his way to 12 second-period points, but the Bucks couldn't get any closer than 15 for the rest of the half. It was 67-48 at the half.
DJ slithered and crashed for five straight after intermission, and it got to 72-48 before the Bucks finally fought back. Marques, Bridgeman (17) and Moncrief made a dent, and the Bucks hit 13 of 14 from the line. Still, you got the feeling the Celtics weren't worried, because K.C. Jones inserted Greg Kite for Bird (Carroll Hardy for Ted Williams?) with 1:36 left in the third period.
Milwaukee trimmed the lead to 12 a couple of times in the fourth but couldn't stop the curtain calls - an in-your-face three-pointer by M.L. Carr.
"I know one thing," said Lanier. "If we lose the next two, we're in trouble."
Kurt Warner took a job stocking grocery store shelves in Iowa after his first rejection from the National Football League, just one of the stops on Warner’s unorthodox path to stardom. There was no stint at a top college or selection in a high draft round. Instead, Warner wound through the backwaters of the Arena Football League and the now-defunct N.F.L. Europe.
But on Friday, when Warner retired after a dozen years in the N.F.L., he went out as a possible future Hall of Fame selection, having built an extraordinary career with one Super Bowl title and two league Most Valuable Player awards from an out-of-nowhere start and stunning resilience.
Warner walked away with a year remaining on a two-year, $23 million contract, and he displayed as much dignity during his exit as he did during the twists and turns of his playing years.
In 1998, the St. Louis Rams gave Warner the break he needed. Having signed him the previous December, they allocated him to N.F.L. Europe, where he led the league in several statistical categories. By 1999, the Rams had made him the backup to Trent Green. When Green tore a knee ligament during the preseason, the unknown quarterback was thrust into the starting job, and the Greatest Show on Turf was born. He was the league and Super Bowl most valuable player that season. He was the league’s M.V.P. again two years later, when the Rams lost the Super Bowl in the final seconds to a burgeoning dynasty from New England.
He played poorly in 2002 and was replaced as the starter after being sacked six times and sustaining a concussion against the Giants to start the 2003 season. He was written off as a has-been. In 2004, the Giants signed him, and he won five of his first seven games. But a two-game losing streak opened the door to the Eli Manning era, and Warner was washed up once more.
He played poorly in 2002 and was replaced as the starter after being sacked six times and sustaining a concussion against the Giants to start the 2003 season. He was written off as a has-been. In 2004, the Giants signed him, and he won five of his first seven games. But a two-game losing streak opened the door to the Eli Manning era, and Warner was washed up once more.
In five years, Warner will be eligible for consideration to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and his credentials during the N.F.L.’s pass-happy era seem to make him a solid contender. In 125 regular-season games, Warner completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 32,344 yards and 208 touchdowns. Fourteen quarterbacks have been elected to the Hall of Fame in the last 25 years, and Warner has a better completion percentage, more net yards per pass attempt and more yards per game than all of them.
Only Dan Marino — who never won a Super Bowl — had more career 300-yard passing games. Warner was the fastest player in N.F.L. history to 10,000 yards passing, and he tied Marino as fastest to reach 30,000. Warner also has the top three passing performances in Super Bowl history. His 1,147 yards passing in the 2008 playoffs broke the N.F.L. record of 1,063, which he set with St. Louis in 1999.
LINK
Quite the story.
But on Friday, when Warner retired after a dozen years in the N.F.L., he went out as a possible future Hall of Fame selection, having built an extraordinary career with one Super Bowl title and two league Most Valuable Player awards from an out-of-nowhere start and stunning resilience.
Warner walked away with a year remaining on a two-year, $23 million contract, and he displayed as much dignity during his exit as he did during the twists and turns of his playing years.
In 1998, the St. Louis Rams gave Warner the break he needed. Having signed him the previous December, they allocated him to N.F.L. Europe, where he led the league in several statistical categories. By 1999, the Rams had made him the backup to Trent Green. When Green tore a knee ligament during the preseason, the unknown quarterback was thrust into the starting job, and the Greatest Show on Turf was born. He was the league and Super Bowl most valuable player that season. He was the league’s M.V.P. again two years later, when the Rams lost the Super Bowl in the final seconds to a burgeoning dynasty from New England.
He played poorly in 2002 and was replaced as the starter after being sacked six times and sustaining a concussion against the Giants to start the 2003 season. He was written off as a has-been. In 2004, the Giants signed him, and he won five of his first seven games. But a two-game losing streak opened the door to the Eli Manning era, and Warner was washed up once more.
He played poorly in 2002 and was replaced as the starter after being sacked six times and sustaining a concussion against the Giants to start the 2003 season. He was written off as a has-been. In 2004, the Giants signed him, and he won five of his first seven games. But a two-game losing streak opened the door to the Eli Manning era, and Warner was washed up once more.
In five years, Warner will be eligible for consideration to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and his credentials during the N.F.L.’s pass-happy era seem to make him a solid contender. In 125 regular-season games, Warner completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 32,344 yards and 208 touchdowns. Fourteen quarterbacks have been elected to the Hall of Fame in the last 25 years, and Warner has a better completion percentage, more net yards per pass attempt and more yards per game than all of them.
Only Dan Marino — who never won a Super Bowl — had more career 300-yard passing games. Warner was the fastest player in N.F.L. history to 10,000 yards passing, and he tied Marino as fastest to reach 30,000. Warner also has the top three passing performances in Super Bowl history. His 1,147 yards passing in the 2008 playoffs broke the N.F.L. record of 1,063, which he set with St. Louis in 1999.
LINK
Quite the story.
A Question for the Boston Celtics
The calendar says January, but its feeling like autumn in the Kevin Garnett Era. When John Henry Bonham died of asphyxiation in 1980, and the band announced the end of Led Zeppelin, a reporter asked the remaining members to describe the group's ten years as the greatest rock-and-roll band on the planet.
"Whooooosh, and it was over," Robert Plant responded.
The same might be said for the Boston Celtics' latest reign at the top of the NBA. There's still a long way to go in the season. But all this team is doing now is getting spanked and then asking for more. If they're gonna lay down, why even show up? Or maybe that's who the Celtics have become, a team of door mats. Only they can answer that question.
A loss at home tomorrow against the Fakers, and it might be time to pull out the "p" word from the 1984 Finals.
Celts Enjoying Home Court Advantage
Celtics 119, Bucks 96
Game 1 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 1-0
They know the dead spots on the famous parquet pine. They know where the overhead glare strikes a baseline shooter. They know where the bathrooms are, and where to send out for a quick fix of Chicken McNuggets.
The Boston Celtics are proof positive that there's no place like home when it comes to playoff basketball. The Red Auerbach A.C. carries a 7-0 postseason home record into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against Milwaukee tonight (8, Ch. 4).
Tuesday's 119-96 dismemberment of the Bucks typified the Garden parties the Celtics have played host to since the end of the regular season. Against Washington, New York and Milwaukee, the Celtics have shot better than 51 percent from the floor and won by an average of 15 points. They've won the last five Garden games by an average of 18.8 points.
The Celtics appear to be benefiting from the fast fold of the Bruins. During the regular season, the Celtics are forced to practice at tiny Hellenic College in Brookline, but since the Bruins were swept by Montreal, the Celts have been able to work out in the Garden almost daily.
"It most certainly has made a difference," says Red Auerbach. "You get the feel of shooting in an open area and the feel of the floor. Every little bit helps. I hate to see the Bruins lose, but that's basically the only way we can get in here."
Both Auerbach and assistant general manager Jan Volk say the Bruins (who own the building) havebeen very cooperative. "They've been great," admits Auerbach. "It's not often I've been able to say that, but they've really gone out of their way to help us this time."
Volks says, "It's not costing us anything extra. We're permitted practicing rights depending on availability. This is not unique. It's just that right now, the conflicts that could have existed don't exist."
NBA team shooting percentages generally decrease during the playoffs, but the Celtics' Garden shooting has gotten better. Boston is shooting almost 7 percent higher at home than on the road. The home-road differential during the regular season was less then 1 percent.
"Just feeling more at home is a big thing," says Larry Bird. "This year, we hardly practiced at all in the Garden, but since the Bruins got knocked out, we've had the place. It's a big difference being able to shoot here and practice in these surroundings."
"I like the idea," adds K.C. Jones. "Now, it's a case of knowing your own court. Even though this is less convenient for a lot of the guys (who live near Hellenic), it's still worth the trouble of coming in here."
M.L. Carr believes that the Garden crowds have also given the Celtics an edge.
"The fans have really been responsive," says Carr. "They help you to remember that you are close to a goal you set, and that expectations are higher. That gets you above some of the sluggishness that might creep in otherwise."
The Bucks held a closed practice after Boston's 40-minute workout. "We just had to work on what we didn't handle," said assistant coach Garry St. Jean. "We couldn't go real hard, because we have a lot of nagging injuries, but after that performance . . . well, it just wasn't a very good game." . . . Don Nelson said, "We have to get everybody playing at a higher level. Paul Pressey was our only guy who played to his level. Everybody else was down, but some of that's due to their defense. It was not just a matter of bad shooting, it was deeper than that. We basically didn't play well." Asked about Bob Lanier's two-point effort, Nelson said, "We have to get him the basketball in an area where he can do something with it."
Game 1 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 1-0
They know the dead spots on the famous parquet pine. They know where the overhead glare strikes a baseline shooter. They know where the bathrooms are, and where to send out for a quick fix of Chicken McNuggets.
The Boston Celtics are proof positive that there's no place like home when it comes to playoff basketball. The Red Auerbach A.C. carries a 7-0 postseason home record into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against Milwaukee tonight (8, Ch. 4).
Tuesday's 119-96 dismemberment of the Bucks typified the Garden parties the Celtics have played host to since the end of the regular season. Against Washington, New York and Milwaukee, the Celtics have shot better than 51 percent from the floor and won by an average of 15 points. They've won the last five Garden games by an average of 18.8 points.
The Celtics appear to be benefiting from the fast fold of the Bruins. During the regular season, the Celtics are forced to practice at tiny Hellenic College in Brookline, but since the Bruins were swept by Montreal, the Celts have been able to work out in the Garden almost daily.
"It most certainly has made a difference," says Red Auerbach. "You get the feel of shooting in an open area and the feel of the floor. Every little bit helps. I hate to see the Bruins lose, but that's basically the only way we can get in here."
Both Auerbach and assistant general manager Jan Volk say the Bruins (who own the building) havebeen very cooperative. "They've been great," admits Auerbach. "It's not often I've been able to say that, but they've really gone out of their way to help us this time."
Volks says, "It's not costing us anything extra. We're permitted practicing rights depending on availability. This is not unique. It's just that right now, the conflicts that could have existed don't exist."
NBA team shooting percentages generally decrease during the playoffs, but the Celtics' Garden shooting has gotten better. Boston is shooting almost 7 percent higher at home than on the road. The home-road differential during the regular season was less then 1 percent.
"Just feeling more at home is a big thing," says Larry Bird. "This year, we hardly practiced at all in the Garden, but since the Bruins got knocked out, we've had the place. It's a big difference being able to shoot here and practice in these surroundings."
"I like the idea," adds K.C. Jones. "Now, it's a case of knowing your own court. Even though this is less convenient for a lot of the guys (who live near Hellenic), it's still worth the trouble of coming in here."
M.L. Carr believes that the Garden crowds have also given the Celtics an edge.
"The fans have really been responsive," says Carr. "They help you to remember that you are close to a goal you set, and that expectations are higher. That gets you above some of the sluggishness that might creep in otherwise."
The Bucks held a closed practice after Boston's 40-minute workout. "We just had to work on what we didn't handle," said assistant coach Garry St. Jean. "We couldn't go real hard, because we have a lot of nagging injuries, but after that performance . . . well, it just wasn't a very good game." . . . Don Nelson said, "We have to get everybody playing at a higher level. Paul Pressey was our only guy who played to his level. Everybody else was down, but some of that's due to their defense. It was not just a matter of bad shooting, it was deeper than that. We basically didn't play well." Asked about Bob Lanier's two-point effort, Nelson said, "We have to get him the basketball in an area where he can do something with it."
Celtics Dump Bucks in Game 1
Celtics 119, Bucks 96
Game 1 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 1-0
A year ago today, Ray Flynn was no more powerful than Dapper O'Neil, the Red Sox were a half-game out of first place, and Bill Fitch was staring at a blank television screen in Longfellow Place - wondering what had happened to the once-proud Celtics.
Proving that a lot can transpire in one year, the Celtics' 12-month reconstruction odyssey finally yielded a playoff victory at the expense of the Milwaukee Bucks last night.
A methodical 119-96 rout in the NBA Eastern Conference final opener moved Boston a step closer to a 15th title bid, and gained a measure of revenge for the Celtics, who were ceremoniously swept out of the tournament by these same Bucks last May.
In a game that lacked the passion and purity of Sunday's seventh-game spectacle against New York, Larry Bird scored 24 points and the Celtics watched the Bucks self-destruct with a first-half shooting display that would have embarrassed Charles Bradley.
As if infected by the New Jersey airballers they beat in the conference semifinals, the Bucks hit only 14 of 40 shots (35 percent) in the first two quarters. Bob Lanier (an amazing two-point no-show) and Sidney Moncrief combined to miss 10 of 13. Meanwhile, the Celtics hit a modest 46 percent (19 of 41), and rode Bird's 14 points to a 54-42 halftime lead.
"We were blown out in the first half, and basically weren't ever in the game," admitted Buck forward Marques Johnson, who led Milwaukee with 18 points and made almost half his shots (9 for 19).
The first quarter was sluggish, brutal, pitiful . . . take your pick. The Celtics appeared tired and emotionally drained from Sunday's parquet Armageddon with the Knicks. The Bucks just looked old. Put it this way: The Celtics shot 40 percent and were outrebounded, 16-10, in the first period, yet led, 22-17, after one.
"Both teams were a little exhausted," noted Danny Ainge, who contributed 10 points in 22 minutes. "The crowd was very dead and the players seemed a little dead."
"There wasn't a lot of intensity," echoed Robert Parish (17 points and a nice job on Lanier). "It seemed like guys on both sides were going through the motions."
The Bucks were barely moving. In the first 12 minutes Milwaukee committed six turnovers, hit 6 of 22 shots (27 percent) and made only one basket from outside of three feet. The Bucks missed nine of their first 11 shots. After a driving layup by Mike Dunleavy, Milwaukee went five minutes, 40 seconds without a basket. Meanwhile, the Celtics ripped off six in a row to go up, 14-6. Bird had four of the six, hitting a pair of jumpers over Junior Bridgeman.
The Bucks missed their first two shots of the second quarter, and when Cedric Maxwell stole a Paul Mokeski pass to set up Ainge on a fast-break layup, the Celtics led, 27-17.
"It was a combination of terrific defense and us not being very sharp," said Buck coach Don Nelson.
The Celtics were able to run more than they expected. After Ainge scored on a nifty give-and-go from Bird early in the second period, Maxwell and Gerald Henderson converted fast-break baskets. Henderson was fouled on his layup, made the free throw and it was 35-23 with 6:54 left in the half.
Marques Johnson brought the Bucks to within four (37-33), but three free throws and a dazzling drive by M.L. Carr pushed the lead back to nine.
Then Bird took over with two free throws, a leaner while smothered by three Bucks, and a 15-foot banker on the run. In the final six seconds of the half, Bird and Ainge worked a perfect floor-length play,which resulted in an buzzer-beating 18-footer by Ainge.
Boston's 12-point halftime lead was enough. Milwaukee never got closer than 11 (63-52 with 8:11 left in the third) in the second half.
Bird pushed the margin to 18 (77-59) in the first nine minutes of the third quarter. Paul Pressey (17 points) and Marques tried to bring the Bucks back, but nothing could save this game from its terminal lethargy.
When Bridgeman got hot in the fourth, Kevin McHale (16) and Dennis Johnson (10 in the quarter) preserved the double-digit lead.
The closing minutes featured curtain calls, high fives, a lot of smiles and a behind-the-back fast-break feed from Henderson to DJ. It was 106-86 with four minutes left and the crowd started filing out as Greg Kite and Carlos Clark stripped off the warmups.
"We didn't give them much of a game," said Nelson. "Our whole squad is disappointed that we didn't play a better game."
Game 1 1984 Eastern Conference Finals
Celtics Lead Series 1-0
A year ago today, Ray Flynn was no more powerful than Dapper O'Neil, the Red Sox were a half-game out of first place, and Bill Fitch was staring at a blank television screen in Longfellow Place - wondering what had happened to the once-proud Celtics.
Proving that a lot can transpire in one year, the Celtics' 12-month reconstruction odyssey finally yielded a playoff victory at the expense of the Milwaukee Bucks last night.
A methodical 119-96 rout in the NBA Eastern Conference final opener moved Boston a step closer to a 15th title bid, and gained a measure of revenge for the Celtics, who were ceremoniously swept out of the tournament by these same Bucks last May.
In a game that lacked the passion and purity of Sunday's seventh-game spectacle against New York, Larry Bird scored 24 points and the Celtics watched the Bucks self-destruct with a first-half shooting display that would have embarrassed Charles Bradley.
As if infected by the New Jersey airballers they beat in the conference semifinals, the Bucks hit only 14 of 40 shots (35 percent) in the first two quarters. Bob Lanier (an amazing two-point no-show) and Sidney Moncrief combined to miss 10 of 13. Meanwhile, the Celtics hit a modest 46 percent (19 of 41), and rode Bird's 14 points to a 54-42 halftime lead.
"We were blown out in the first half, and basically weren't ever in the game," admitted Buck forward Marques Johnson, who led Milwaukee with 18 points and made almost half his shots (9 for 19).
The first quarter was sluggish, brutal, pitiful . . . take your pick. The Celtics appeared tired and emotionally drained from Sunday's parquet Armageddon with the Knicks. The Bucks just looked old. Put it this way: The Celtics shot 40 percent and were outrebounded, 16-10, in the first period, yet led, 22-17, after one.
"Both teams were a little exhausted," noted Danny Ainge, who contributed 10 points in 22 minutes. "The crowd was very dead and the players seemed a little dead."
"There wasn't a lot of intensity," echoed Robert Parish (17 points and a nice job on Lanier). "It seemed like guys on both sides were going through the motions."
The Bucks were barely moving. In the first 12 minutes Milwaukee committed six turnovers, hit 6 of 22 shots (27 percent) and made only one basket from outside of three feet. The Bucks missed nine of their first 11 shots. After a driving layup by Mike Dunleavy, Milwaukee went five minutes, 40 seconds without a basket. Meanwhile, the Celtics ripped off six in a row to go up, 14-6. Bird had four of the six, hitting a pair of jumpers over Junior Bridgeman.
The Bucks missed their first two shots of the second quarter, and when Cedric Maxwell stole a Paul Mokeski pass to set up Ainge on a fast-break layup, the Celtics led, 27-17.
"It was a combination of terrific defense and us not being very sharp," said Buck coach Don Nelson.
The Celtics were able to run more than they expected. After Ainge scored on a nifty give-and-go from Bird early in the second period, Maxwell and Gerald Henderson converted fast-break baskets. Henderson was fouled on his layup, made the free throw and it was 35-23 with 6:54 left in the half.
Marques Johnson brought the Bucks to within four (37-33), but three free throws and a dazzling drive by M.L. Carr pushed the lead back to nine.
Then Bird took over with two free throws, a leaner while smothered by three Bucks, and a 15-foot banker on the run. In the final six seconds of the half, Bird and Ainge worked a perfect floor-length play,which resulted in an buzzer-beating 18-footer by Ainge.
Boston's 12-point halftime lead was enough. Milwaukee never got closer than 11 (63-52 with 8:11 left in the third) in the second half.
Bird pushed the margin to 18 (77-59) in the first nine minutes of the third quarter. Paul Pressey (17 points) and Marques tried to bring the Bucks back, but nothing could save this game from its terminal lethargy.
When Bridgeman got hot in the fourth, Kevin McHale (16) and Dennis Johnson (10 in the quarter) preserved the double-digit lead.
The closing minutes featured curtain calls, high fives, a lot of smiles and a behind-the-back fast-break feed from Henderson to DJ. It was 106-86 with four minutes left and the crowd started filing out as Greg Kite and Carlos Clark stripped off the warmups.
"We didn't give them much of a game," said Nelson. "Our whole squad is disappointed that we didn't play a better game."
Atlanta Hawks: Our Next to Chance Bend Over and Grab Our Ankles
Are the Boston Celtics even a top 5 team right now? Hell no. Top ten? Probably, but it doesn't matter, because once you get past the Fakers, Magic, Cavs, and Hawks, no one else stands much of a chance. It's kind of like getting excited about being ranked 12th in the college football polls. If you play for the Minnesota Gophers, 12th place is cool. If you play for the Boston Celtics, F it.
I mean, seriously, did it ever occur to you that Celtics fans dismiss the entire era between 1987 and 2007 as the lost years? Say what? We went to the Finals in 1987, and the ECFs in 1988 and 2001. In at least five other seasons, we started a front line made up of Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Larry Bird. That's not exactly NBA wilderness. How many teams would have traded places with us during those years?
Do Celtics' fans care? Of course not. And that's one reason I feel justified in raking my team over the coals. Watching my other Green Team play football, I was again reminded of how much of sports comes down to taking a punch, and then hitting back. I mean, did you watch the first half of the Jets-Colts game? It looked like the Jets were gonna win 38-13. Then Peyton Manning struck back, and the game was over.
Do the Celtics have any fight left in them?
Championships may not be handed it in January. But the regular season isn't meaningless either. Are the Celtics sick of getting smacked in the chopper yet? I sure am. Another loss tonight and I'm gonna have to pull out my motivational speech from the sixth inning of the 1975 World Series.
Vegas has the Hawks favored to complete the series sweep.
I mean, seriously, did it ever occur to you that Celtics fans dismiss the entire era between 1987 and 2007 as the lost years? Say what? We went to the Finals in 1987, and the ECFs in 1988 and 2001. In at least five other seasons, we started a front line made up of Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Larry Bird. That's not exactly NBA wilderness. How many teams would have traded places with us during those years?
Do Celtics' fans care? Of course not. And that's one reason I feel justified in raking my team over the coals. Watching my other Green Team play football, I was again reminded of how much of sports comes down to taking a punch, and then hitting back. I mean, did you watch the first half of the Jets-Colts game? It looked like the Jets were gonna win 38-13. Then Peyton Manning struck back, and the game was over.
Do the Celtics have any fight left in them?
Championships may not be handed it in January. But the regular season isn't meaningless either. Are the Celtics sick of getting smacked in the chopper yet? I sure am. Another loss tonight and I'm gonna have to pull out my motivational speech from the sixth inning of the 1975 World Series.
Vegas has the Hawks favored to complete the series sweep.
| Gameday Matchup | |||||||
| W-L | PF | PA | HOME | ROAD | STK | L10 | |
| BOS | 29-14 | 99.6 | 93.7 | 13-7 | 16-7 | L1 | 4-6 |
| ATL | 29-15 | 102.6 | 97.3 | 18-5 | 11-10 | L1 | 7-3 |
| Injury Report |
| BOSTON |
| · Marquis Daniels SG - Jan 28: OUT · J.R. Giddens SG - Jan 26: Day-to-Day · Brian Scalabrine PF - Jan 26: OUT |
| ATLANTA |
| · Josh Smith PF - Jan 25: Day-to-Day |
| · Fantasy Injury News · View NBA injury report |
| Depth Chart | ||
| POS | BOSTON (PPG) | ATLANTA (PPG) |
| PG | ||
| SG | ||
| SF | ||
| PF | ||
| C | ||
| · View full depth chart · Team rosters: Boston | Atlanta | ||
| Team Stat Leaders | ||
| BOSTON | ATLANTA | |
| Points | P. Pierce 18.7 | J. Johnson 21.3 |
| Rebounds | K. Perkins 8.3 | A. Horford 9.8 |
| Assists | R. Rondo 9.6 | J. Johnson 4.8 |
| Steals | R. Rondo 2.5 | J. Smith 1.5 |
| Blocks | K. Perkins 2.1 | J. Smith 2.2 |
| · Team stats: Boston | Atlanta | ||
Celtics Forget to Flip the Switch
The Celtics entered last night's installment of the long, drawn-out soap opera otherwise known as the NBA regular season having lost three out of their last five games. No problem. They'll just "flip the switch" and start playing good basketball. At least that was the prevalent theory. Didn't happen. That's the funny thing about those switches. Even if you do flip them, if you're not in the habit of winning close games down the stretch, suddenly winning such games becomes a little more dicey.
Take last night as an example. Did we really lose the game on an uncontested layup? James Posey would roll-over in his grave. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace both had opportunities to provide some D. But nary an outstretched hand was raised. In 2008, the Celtics wouldn't let opponents get shots off on dead balls in the first quarter of meaningless games, much less game-ending shots against major rivals.
If we keep playing like this, the Celtics may become the new "poodles" of the East.
Celtics 94, 
Magic 96
Take last night as an example. Did we really lose the game on an uncontested layup? James Posey would roll-over in his grave. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace both had opportunities to provide some D. But nary an outstretched hand was raised. In 2008, the Celtics wouldn't let opponents get shots off on dead balls in the first quarter of meaningless games, much less game-ending shots against major rivals.
If we keep playing like this, the Celtics may become the new "poodles" of the East.
Celtics 94, Magic 96 8:00 PM ET, January 28, 2010
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL
| BOSTON CELTICS | ||||||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS |
| Kevin Garnett, PF | 33 | 2-8 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -4 | 6 |
| Paul Pierce, SF | 40 | 3-12 | 1-4 | 5-5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Kendrick Perkins, C | 15 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 2-5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | +1 | 4 |
| Ray Allen, SG | 41 | 8-12 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | -2 | 20 |
| Rajon Rondo, PG | 37 | 5-9 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS |
| Rasheed Wallace, C | 26 | 7-14 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -5 | 17 |
| Eddie House, PG | 14 | 4-7 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 10 |
| Brian Scalabrine, PF | 4 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +5 | 3 |
| Tony Allen, SG | 12 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 5 |
| Glen Davis, PF | 17 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | -1 | 6 |
| Shelden Williams, PF | DNP COACH'S DECISION | |||||||||||||
| Bill Walker, SG | DNP COACH'S DECISION | |||||||||||||
| TOTALS | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | ||
| 35-74 | 12-26 | 12-18 | 6 | 26 | 32 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 30 | 94 | |||
| 47.3% | 46.2% | 66.7% | ||||||||||||
Fast break points: 10 Points in the paint: 24 Team TO ( points off ): 15 (13) +/- denotes team's net points while the player is on the court. | ||||||||||||||
| ORLANDO MAGIC | ||||||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS |
| Rashard Lewis, PF | 36 | 8-13 | 2-3 | 5-6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -7 | 23 |
| Matt Barnes, SF | 23 | 1-4 | 0-2 | 3-4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -6 | 5 |
| Dwight Howard, C | 32 | 8-12 | 0-0 | 3-10 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | +6 | 19 |
| Vince Carter, SG | 29 | 2-13 | 0-2 | 2-3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +4 | 6 |
| Jameer Nelson, PG | 28 | 5-10 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -7 | 12 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | +/- | PTS |
| Jason Williams, PG | 20 | 3-7 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +9 | 8 |
| J.J. Redick, SG | 27 | 2-7 | 2-5 | 5-5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | +13 | 11 |
| Mickael Pietrus, SF | 7 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 2 |
| Marcin Gortat, C | 27 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 4-6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | +4 | 6 |
| Ryan Anderson, PF | 10 | 1-4 | 0-2 | 2-4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 4 |
| Anthony Johnson, PG | DNP COACH'S DECISION | |||||||||||||
| Brandon Bass, PF | DNP COACH'S DECISION | |||||||||||||
| TOTALS | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | ||
| 32-73 | 6-20 | 26-40 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 19 | 96 | |||
| 43.8% | 30.0% | 65.0% | ||||||||||||
Fast break points: 3 Points in the paint: 38 Team TO ( points off ): 16 (27) +/- denotes team's net points while the player is on the court. | ||||||||||||||
KG Isn't as Bouncy
I think probably better than we expected after a guy was sitting out for a while, from being rusty and having his timing off. He’s been making shots, and making big shots for us down the stretch of games. You see the energy that he brings to our defense, and just the accountability and confidence he gives to our players when he’s on the court. It’s every bit as important as his production. He’s been huge, and health-wise he’s good. He looks great in practice. He’s still obviously not as bouncy as he was two years ago, but he’s better than he was last year and I think he’s better today then he was in training camp.
LINK
Good Lord. Danny must have gone to law school over the summer. Better than expected. Worse than two years ago. Better than camp. He looks good, but not as bouncy. Could you possibly hedge your bets any more? I'm so sick of talking about KG and his frickin' knee problems.
Just throw him out on the court, and if he survives the rest of the season, great. If not, you know, someone place a call to Marcus Webb.
LINK
Good Lord. Danny must have gone to law school over the summer. Better than expected. Worse than two years ago. Better than camp. He looks good, but not as bouncy. Could you possibly hedge your bets any more? I'm so sick of talking about KG and his frickin' knee problems.
Just throw him out on the court, and if he survives the rest of the season, great. If not, you know, someone place a call to Marcus Webb.
Danny Revisits the 1988 Christmas Party
You’ve made it clear in the past (citation to reference), with Red [Auerbach] holding on to the original Big Three, that you would have made some of those trades. You have set yourself up that you would not be sentimental. Are the players aware of that?
Yes, but there’s one big difference in the situation that I was in as a player in Boston. In 1988, we knew we had no chance of winning a championship. Larry Bird was in two casts on his feet. Kevin McHale wasn’t the same player he was physically. We weren’t close to winning a championship. Our better days had gone by and we were on the way down. We could be a decent team but we were never going to be a great team again with the same cast of characters.I think that’s different. Right now, with our Big Three we have a legitimate shot at winning a championship. It doesn’t mean that we’re the favorites, it just means that we have a chance. There’s a difference between breaking up something that could win a championship and those opportunities just don’t come along all the time. That’s the difference between 1988 and now.
Long story short: This team will make "the tournament," and barring injuries, will have a shot at the title. They won't be anybody's favorite (outside of Reggie Miller), but they'll be in the hunt.Sounds like 1984 to me.
Celtics to Test "Flip the Switch" Mentality against Magic, Hawks, and Lakers
In tonight's TNT matchup, the Boston Celtics face-off against the Orlando Magic, in what promises to be the first of three games in less than four nights against three of the five best teams in the NBA.
Tonight's game, like tomorrow night's game against Atlanta, will be played on the road, while the Lakers game will be played at the Gahden. The Celtics and Magic have beaten each other once this year, with both victories coming on the opponent's home court. The Hawks, meanwhile, will be going for a series sweep against the Celtics on Friday, Atlanta having one the three previous meetings this season. Speaking of sweeps, the Lakers swept the Celtics last season, and we'll find out Sunday if the Celtics are able to get up off the mat and inflict some punishment of their own.
Orlando's favored by 2.5.
I'm excited to see how the team does. The Celtics could easily lose all three. Pundits around the league have pointed out that Team Green plays like a team that believes they can "turn it on" for good teams, while sleepwalking through the rest of the season. They wouldn't be the first Celtics team to play out a regular season in this manner. It says here we win 1 and drop 2 of the next three, thereby proving the suspect nature of the "flip-the-switch" mentality.
Tonight's game, like tomorrow night's game against Atlanta, will be played on the road, while the Lakers game will be played at the Gahden. The Celtics and Magic have beaten each other once this year, with both victories coming on the opponent's home court. The Hawks, meanwhile, will be going for a series sweep against the Celtics on Friday, Atlanta having one the three previous meetings this season. Speaking of sweeps, the Lakers swept the Celtics last season, and we'll find out Sunday if the Celtics are able to get up off the mat and inflict some punishment of their own.
Orlando's favored by 2.5.
I'm excited to see how the team does. The Celtics could easily lose all three. Pundits around the league have pointed out that Team Green plays like a team that believes they can "turn it on" for good teams, while sleepwalking through the rest of the season. They wouldn't be the first Celtics team to play out a regular season in this manner. It says here we win 1 and drop 2 of the next three, thereby proving the suspect nature of the "flip-the-switch" mentality.
| Gameday Matchup | |||||||
| W-L | PF | PA | HOME | ROAD | STK | L10 | |
| BOS | 29-13 | 99.7 | 93.7 | 13-7 | 16-6 | W2 | 5-5 |
| ORL | 29-16 | 101.1 | 96.3 | 16-4 | 13-12 | L1 | 5-5 |
| Injury Report |
| BOSTON |
| · J.R. Giddens SG - Jan 26: Day-to-Day · Brian Scalabrine PF - Jan 26: OUT |
| ORLANDO |
| · Vince Carter SG - Jan 26: Day-to-Day |
| · Fantasy Injury News · View NBA injury report |
| Depth Chart | ||
| POS | BOSTON (PPG) | ORLANDO (PPG) |
| PG | ||
| SG | ||
| SF | ||
| PF | ||
| C | ||
| · View full depth chart · Team rosters: Boston | Orlando | ||
| Team Stat Leaders | ||
| BOSTON | ORLANDO | |
| Points | P. Pierce 18.9 | D. Howard 17.4 |
| Rebounds | K. Perkins 8.5 | D. Howard 13.3 |
| Assists | R. Rondo 9.7 | J. Nelson 4.8 |
| Steals | R. Rondo 2.5 | D. Howard 1.2 |
| Blocks | K. Perkins 2.1 | D. Howard 2.6 |
| · Team stats: Boston | Orlando | ||
1.26.2010
Bucks have Big 3 of there Own
1984 Eastern Conference Finals
May 1984
Don Nelson has absolutely no intention of being lured into a battle of verbiage on the subject of the Boston Celtics.
"I'll be the most boring coach you'll ever talk to," Nellie says. "I learned a long time ago from Red (Auerbach) you don't go around saying anything about your next opponent."
Nellie would prefer to discuss his team rather than the foe. Although people tend to dismiss the Bucks when championship contenders are discussed, Milwaukee has arrived in the Eastern Conference final for the second year in a row, and for the first time in four years the team needn't worry about playing its major nemesis, the Philadelphia 76ers. That alone has done a lot for the Bucks' collective psyche.
Milwaukee has won a five-game series over Atlanta and a six-gamer from New Jersey, taking the key games with great team defensive efforts while receiving excellent offensive efforts from its two acknowledged great players ("supers," in NBA lexicon), Sidney Moncrief and Marques Johnson.
"Make that three supers," interrupts Nellie. "Bob Lanier is doing a hell of a job. He played some gutsy series against New Jersey. I can't ask any more than he's given me."
Keep in mind that the Bucks have just defeated the team that defeated Philadelphia, which has to mean something to anyone who witnessed the succession of oustanding games the Nets played against the 1983 champions. "That's a very good basketball team," reminds Nets coach Stan Albeck. "They've got people who can shoot from the outside. They can put the ball on the floor. They are as smart as any team in the league. And they play great defense."
All the same, it is a team with limitations. Lanier must be spotted just so, and Nellie never knows what he can expect from his power forwards, Alton Lister and Paul Mokeski. In addition, point guard Mike Dunleavy is hobbling with a severely bruised thigh.
"It's just a good team, not a great team," admits Nelson. "But it's a pleasure to coach because it has intelligent players who play hard, and who play together."
Here are those players:
SIDNEY MONCRIEF (6-4, G-F)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Extremely aggressive. As good a post-up guard as there is. As Al McGuire would say, this guy's got a huge valentine.
MARQUES JOHNSON (6-6, F)
Graceful, acrobatic, intelligent forward who can pass, rebound and defend with most anyone. Must be kept from offensive boards.
BOB LANIER (6-11, C)
Milwaukee's samurai warrior . . . A big ol' cutie who understands the whys and wherefores of pivot play, offensively and defensively, as well as anyone anywhere . . . Coming off a fine series with the Nets.
ALTON LISTER (6-11, F-C)
Poor man's Larry Nance . . . Effective post-up player . . . Very good shot blocker . . . A big game from him usually ensures a Bucks' victory.
MIKE DUNLEAVY (6-2, G)
From Wall Street to the NBA playoffs . . . Classic playmaking guard who also loves to fire up three-pointers.
JUNIOR BRIDGEMAN (6-5, F-G)
Instant Offense . . . A Buck rarity in that he doesn't post people . . . Dangerous outside shooter.
PAUL PRESSEY (6-5, G-F)
Simply a good ath-a-lete . . . Hit big bucket in Game 6 vs. Nets . . . Can press the hell out of people.
PAUL MOKESKI (7-0, F-C)
Has Nellie found a million-dollar baby in a five-and-ten-cent store? . . . Waived by, ugh, Cleveland, but has found a home in Milwaukee as key backup swingman.
HARVEY CATCHINGS (6-9, C-F)
Another versatile veteran sub . . . Remembered in Boston for one regrettable elbow that caved in Larry Bird's face, but is really a very good guy who has made a career out of jumping and hustling.
RANDY BREUER (7-3, C)
First draft pick. He helped club in spots . . . Still accommodating himself to amazing size, and could yet be a Mark Eaton, but only if he bulks up considerably.
KEVIN GREVEY (6-4, G)
Was supposed to replace Brian Winters, but never got going and appears to have no place in Nellie's scheme of things . . . In his prime was a valuable outside shooter.
LORENZO ROMAR (6-1, G)
Demonstrated some playmaking skill while with Golden State, but is strictly a 12th man here.
May 1984
Don Nelson has absolutely no intention of being lured into a battle of verbiage on the subject of the Boston Celtics.
"I'll be the most boring coach you'll ever talk to," Nellie says. "I learned a long time ago from Red (Auerbach) you don't go around saying anything about your next opponent."
Nellie would prefer to discuss his team rather than the foe. Although people tend to dismiss the Bucks when championship contenders are discussed, Milwaukee has arrived in the Eastern Conference final for the second year in a row, and for the first time in four years the team needn't worry about playing its major nemesis, the Philadelphia 76ers. That alone has done a lot for the Bucks' collective psyche.
Milwaukee has won a five-game series over Atlanta and a six-gamer from New Jersey, taking the key games with great team defensive efforts while receiving excellent offensive efforts from its two acknowledged great players ("supers," in NBA lexicon), Sidney Moncrief and Marques Johnson.
"Make that three supers," interrupts Nellie. "Bob Lanier is doing a hell of a job. He played some gutsy series against New Jersey. I can't ask any more than he's given me."
Keep in mind that the Bucks have just defeated the team that defeated Philadelphia, which has to mean something to anyone who witnessed the succession of oustanding games the Nets played against the 1983 champions. "That's a very good basketball team," reminds Nets coach Stan Albeck. "They've got people who can shoot from the outside. They can put the ball on the floor. They are as smart as any team in the league. And they play great defense."
All the same, it is a team with limitations. Lanier must be spotted just so, and Nellie never knows what he can expect from his power forwards, Alton Lister and Paul Mokeski. In addition, point guard Mike Dunleavy is hobbling with a severely bruised thigh.
"It's just a good team, not a great team," admits Nelson. "But it's a pleasure to coach because it has intelligent players who play hard, and who play together."
Here are those players:
SIDNEY MONCRIEF (6-4, G-F)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Extremely aggressive. As good a post-up guard as there is. As Al McGuire would say, this guy's got a huge valentine.
MARQUES JOHNSON (6-6, F)
Graceful, acrobatic, intelligent forward who can pass, rebound and defend with most anyone. Must be kept from offensive boards.
BOB LANIER (6-11, C)
Milwaukee's samurai warrior . . . A big ol' cutie who understands the whys and wherefores of pivot play, offensively and defensively, as well as anyone anywhere . . . Coming off a fine series with the Nets.
ALTON LISTER (6-11, F-C)
Poor man's Larry Nance . . . Effective post-up player . . . Very good shot blocker . . . A big game from him usually ensures a Bucks' victory.
MIKE DUNLEAVY (6-2, G)
From Wall Street to the NBA playoffs . . . Classic playmaking guard who also loves to fire up three-pointers.
JUNIOR BRIDGEMAN (6-5, F-G)
Instant Offense . . . A Buck rarity in that he doesn't post people . . . Dangerous outside shooter.
PAUL PRESSEY (6-5, G-F)
Simply a good ath-a-lete . . . Hit big bucket in Game 6 vs. Nets . . . Can press the hell out of people.
PAUL MOKESKI (7-0, F-C)
Has Nellie found a million-dollar baby in a five-and-ten-cent store? . . . Waived by, ugh, Cleveland, but has found a home in Milwaukee as key backup swingman.
HARVEY CATCHINGS (6-9, C-F)
Another versatile veteran sub . . . Remembered in Boston for one regrettable elbow that caved in Larry Bird's face, but is really a very good guy who has made a career out of jumping and hustling.
RANDY BREUER (7-3, C)
First draft pick. He helped club in spots . . . Still accommodating himself to amazing size, and could yet be a Mark Eaton, but only if he bulks up considerably.
KEVIN GREVEY (6-4, G)
Was supposed to replace Brian Winters, but never got going and appears to have no place in Nellie's scheme of things . . . In his prime was a valuable outside shooter.
LORENZO ROMAR (6-1, G)
Demonstrated some playmaking skill while with Golden State, but is strictly a 12th man here.
Celtics to Face Bucks in ECFs
1983-84 Boson Celtics
May 1984
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
The Milwaukee Bucks are the solid B-plus students of the NBA.
They always turn in their assignments on time. They never throw spitballs at the blackboard. They aren't creative enough to earn A's, but the teacher always loves them because they never fail to volunteer for extra-credit projects. They never get caught with a joint out in the parking lot during the school dances and their parents are annually told by all their teachers what a pleasure it is to have them in class.
They are never thought of as an NBA colossus, but they are always lurking around the fringes of championship territory. And they will again be in the Eastern Conference finals, courtesy of Thursday night's tense 98-97 triumph over the New Jersey Nets.
After five dreadfully dull affairs, the teams finally played some playoff basketball that was worth the money. It was a game of alternating scoring bursts, and it was not decided until the final possession, when the estimable Sidney Moncrief, capping a gritty second-half performance, dived on a loose ball and smothered it as time ran out on the frustrated Nets, who never could recapture the offensive magic that had enabled them to eliminate the defending champion 76ers.
A sensationally-played fourth quarter had come down to the final minute and a half with the score tied at 95. With 1:22 remaining, Paul Pressey, in all probability on the floor only because Mike Dunleavy's injured thigh had tightened up too much to allow him to play, sank the second of two free throws, giving Milwaukee a 96-95 lead.
The Nets then went to Darryl Dawkins, who had been superb en route to a 29-point evening. Dawkins had hit three left-side, fourth-period jumpers in three attempts. But he couldn't make it 4 for 4. Moncrief picked up the miss and, on Milwaukee's possession, Pressey took a handoff from Marques Johnson and calmly swished a jumper from a step beyond the foul line, a shot that is as natural to him as bunting is to Dave Kingman. There were 41 seconds left and the Bucks led, 98-95.
Buck Williams, heretofore a certified Missing Person, then rebounded an Albert King miss and pitched it back to Micheal Ray Richardson, who banged home a 20-footer with 29 seconds to play. But that would be the final New Jersey possession of the season.
Again, Pressey was a key figure. With the 24-second clock almost wound down, he attempted a post-up jumper. The result was an air ball, but Moncrief knifed in for the 22d Milwaukee offensive rebound of the game. Knowing he had to draw iron in order to avert a 24-second violation, he threw up a lefthanded jump hook that would not drop. Richardson rebounded for New Jersey, only to have Johnson poke it away.
As might be expected, Mr. Moncrief beat everyone to the ball, flopping on it and smothering it at the buzzer.
The game, which had real playoff texture from the start, featured a number of alternating offensive explosions. The Nets began the game by moving behind Dawkins and Otis Birdsong to a 19-10 lead. New Jersey would later enjoy runs of 15-7 and 14-4. Milwaukee, meanwhile, strung together such stretches as 23-5, 20-6 and, finally, 18-8, the last a fourth-quarter outburst that turned an 81-77 New Jersey lead (with 7:17 remaining) into a 95-89 Bucks advantage with 2:53 to play. It took the Nets just 1:32 to tie the game at 95 on two Dawkins free throws, a Williams followup (his only second-chance points of the contest) and two more foul shots by Richardson with 1:32 to play.
While the Nets were relying mainly on the low-post power of Dawkins and the medium-range jumpers of Birdsong, Milwaukee was maintaining offensive parity by employing the spread offense it has warehoused for more than three years. Alarmed by his team's stodgy offense in the first five games, Don Nelson ordered a spread set that enabled Johnson and Moncrief to take advantage of their driving ability.
"We did it," explained Nelson, "because down the stretch all good teams take away your basic sets. They hadn't seen this before."
Let it be noted that while the outcome wasn't decided until the very end, there were many vital stay-alive segments of the game for the Bucks, not the least of which was a wonderful third-quarter rebounding and scoring display by 7-foot Paul Mokeski (8 points, 11 rebounds), whom Nelson picked off the waiver wire in the middle of the season.
And there was a superb sequence in the fourth period when Pressey first stole a King dribble - leading to a Moncrief fast-break layup - and then blocked a King shot on the next possession, resulting in a fast-break basket of his own.
So, yes, it was another fine team performance by these perennial straight- arrow students. The Milwaukee Bucks are coming. What else is new?
May 1984
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
The Milwaukee Bucks are the solid B-plus students of the NBA.
They always turn in their assignments on time. They never throw spitballs at the blackboard. They aren't creative enough to earn A's, but the teacher always loves them because they never fail to volunteer for extra-credit projects. They never get caught with a joint out in the parking lot during the school dances and their parents are annually told by all their teachers what a pleasure it is to have them in class.
They are never thought of as an NBA colossus, but they are always lurking around the fringes of championship territory. And they will again be in the Eastern Conference finals, courtesy of Thursday night's tense 98-97 triumph over the New Jersey Nets.
After five dreadfully dull affairs, the teams finally played some playoff basketball that was worth the money. It was a game of alternating scoring bursts, and it was not decided until the final possession, when the estimable Sidney Moncrief, capping a gritty second-half performance, dived on a loose ball and smothered it as time ran out on the frustrated Nets, who never could recapture the offensive magic that had enabled them to eliminate the defending champion 76ers.
A sensationally-played fourth quarter had come down to the final minute and a half with the score tied at 95. With 1:22 remaining, Paul Pressey, in all probability on the floor only because Mike Dunleavy's injured thigh had tightened up too much to allow him to play, sank the second of two free throws, giving Milwaukee a 96-95 lead.
The Nets then went to Darryl Dawkins, who had been superb en route to a 29-point evening. Dawkins had hit three left-side, fourth-period jumpers in three attempts. But he couldn't make it 4 for 4. Moncrief picked up the miss and, on Milwaukee's possession, Pressey took a handoff from Marques Johnson and calmly swished a jumper from a step beyond the foul line, a shot that is as natural to him as bunting is to Dave Kingman. There were 41 seconds left and the Bucks led, 98-95.
Buck Williams, heretofore a certified Missing Person, then rebounded an Albert King miss and pitched it back to Micheal Ray Richardson, who banged home a 20-footer with 29 seconds to play. But that would be the final New Jersey possession of the season.
Again, Pressey was a key figure. With the 24-second clock almost wound down, he attempted a post-up jumper. The result was an air ball, but Moncrief knifed in for the 22d Milwaukee offensive rebound of the game. Knowing he had to draw iron in order to avert a 24-second violation, he threw up a lefthanded jump hook that would not drop. Richardson rebounded for New Jersey, only to have Johnson poke it away.
As might be expected, Mr. Moncrief beat everyone to the ball, flopping on it and smothering it at the buzzer.
The game, which had real playoff texture from the start, featured a number of alternating offensive explosions. The Nets began the game by moving behind Dawkins and Otis Birdsong to a 19-10 lead. New Jersey would later enjoy runs of 15-7 and 14-4. Milwaukee, meanwhile, strung together such stretches as 23-5, 20-6 and, finally, 18-8, the last a fourth-quarter outburst that turned an 81-77 New Jersey lead (with 7:17 remaining) into a 95-89 Bucks advantage with 2:53 to play. It took the Nets just 1:32 to tie the game at 95 on two Dawkins free throws, a Williams followup (his only second-chance points of the contest) and two more foul shots by Richardson with 1:32 to play.
While the Nets were relying mainly on the low-post power of Dawkins and the medium-range jumpers of Birdsong, Milwaukee was maintaining offensive parity by employing the spread offense it has warehoused for more than three years. Alarmed by his team's stodgy offense in the first five games, Don Nelson ordered a spread set that enabled Johnson and Moncrief to take advantage of their driving ability.
"We did it," explained Nelson, "because down the stretch all good teams take away your basic sets. They hadn't seen this before."
Let it be noted that while the outcome wasn't decided until the very end, there were many vital stay-alive segments of the game for the Bucks, not the least of which was a wonderful third-quarter rebounding and scoring display by 7-foot Paul Mokeski (8 points, 11 rebounds), whom Nelson picked off the waiver wire in the middle of the season.
And there was a superb sequence in the fourth period when Pressey first stole a King dribble - leading to a Moncrief fast-break layup - and then blocked a King shot on the next possession, resulting in a fast-break basket of his own.
So, yes, it was another fine team performance by these perennial straight- arrow students. The Milwaukee Bucks are coming. What else is new?
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