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."