Celtics Crush Knicks in Game 1

Celtics 110, Knicks 92
Game 1 1984 Eastern Conference Semifinals

The trappings of this series are irresistible.

A 38-year war between the Celtics and Knicks has been on hold since Knicks general manager Dave DeBusschere finished his playing career with an 11-point playoff loss to the Celtics in the Garden 10 years ago.

Things heated up last spring when Red Auerbach went on a free agent binge, signing three Knicks in order to prevent New York from bagging Kevin McHale. A month later, Auerbach was introduced to the new troika of Celtic owners - all of whom have roots in Madison Square Garden.

Toss in K.C. Jones' thinly veiled dislike of Hubie Brown along with Cedric Maxwell's pregame braggadocio, and you can see why yesterday's 110-92 Celtics victory over the Knicks was somewhat disappointing to those who came in search of bloodstains and overtimes.

Celtics fans weren't complaining. Boston's methodical destruction of the Knicks displayed the Celtics at their running, passing best.

Larry Bird was equal parts of Walter Brennan and Bob Cousy. Ignoring the ankle injury he sustained in Washington last Tuesday night, Bird totaled 23 points, 12 assists (several of the dazzling variety) and 9 rebounds before reinjuring his ankle late in the fourth quarter, when he should have been blowing kisses from the bench.

Meanwhile, Robert Parish scored 19 points with 12 rebounds, and McHale was a heat-seeking Knick vaporizer, hitting 11 of 14 shots for 25 points. The Celtics hit 54 percent from the floor and repeatedly beat the New York press for easy baskets.

"We played an excellent game today," said Maxwell, who, true to his word, teamed with McHale to hold Bernard King (26 points) under 40 for the first time in five games. "At times we played as well as we can play, and when we play that way, we're capable of beating any team in the league."

It would be unfair to dismiss the Knicks on the basis of yesterday's performance. Remember Boston's Mother's Day carnage of Philadelphia in 1982? The rested Celtics caught the 76ers two days after Philly had won a grueling six-game series in Milwaukee. Boston beat the weary Sixers, 121-81, in Game 1 but went on to lose the series in seven.

Yesterday, the Knicks were still feeling the effects of Motown malaria: New York won a fifth and final overtime match in Detroit late Friday, flew to Boston early Saturday and came out sluggish Sunday.

King Bernard hit his first four shots, and the Knicks led, 12-10, before the Celtics put it away with a five-minute, 17-2 run.

The winning drive started with a free throw by Parish and a drive to the basket by Bird. When Maxwell picked up his second foul, McHale came in to guard King and held the Mighty One to three points for the remainder of the period.

A three-point play by McHale, a free throw by Bird and a McHale conversion of a Walter Johnson strike from Bird made it 19-12, forcing Brown to call time as the Garden rocked.

During the pause, Brown rescued Ray Williams (2 for 8, six turnovers) by inserting Trent Tucker. Tucker hit a bomb from the left corner when play resumed, but Dennis Johnson (6 for 8) canned a baseline jumper off a pick, and Parish embarrassed Bill Cartwright with three straight baskets to make it 27-14.

Parish's third consecutive hoop was a thunderous jam of an alley-oop Bird feed and forced another timeout.

"You've got to give them credit," admitted Brown. "They played an excellent game. We had a bad game, but you've got to give them credit because they executed well."

It was 31-22 after one. Danny Ainge rose from the dead in the second quarter. In his first appearance since April 6, Ainge hit four of five in the period (including a three-pointer) and had three assists as the Celtics outscored New York, 33-22, to take a 64-44 halftime lead.

The Celtics hit 30 of 48 shots (63 percent) and outrebounded New York, 25-18, in the first half. The Knicks hit only 17 of 44 shots (39 percent). Parish had 17 points and nine rebounds at intermission, compared with Cartwright's two and two.

Any thoughts of a Knick comeback were dashed early in the third quarter, when the Celtics ran to a 70-45 lead. Late in the period, Parish came off when someone stepped on his left foot. He did not return, but team physician Thomas Silva said he'd be ready for Game 2 Wednesday.

It was an embarrassing 92-68 after three periods and 104-78 with 6:42 left in the fourth. The Knicks were behind by at least 20 for the first 16 minutes of the second half.

Curiously, Bird remained on the floor even though Boston led by 26 with seven minutes left. He re-injured his ankle on a layup with 3:37 remaining and the Celtics leading, 106-86.

Why was Bird still in the game?

"I made a mistake," said Jones.

It was one of the few mistakes the Celtics made all afternoon