Celtics Shut Down Rockets

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 114, Rockets 101
Record 39-11
February 11, 1984

It was neither a dramatic return nor a memorable introduction. It was just a methodical 114-101 Celtic victory against a team they are supposed to beat, the Houston Rockets. Big Brother Bill Fitch's return to Boston Garden last night was something less than Elvis' comeback smash at Vegas' International Hotel in '69. Under the banners that always haunted him, Fitch watched Kevin McHale (30 points), Larry Bird (17 points, 14 rebounds), Gerald Henderson (18 points, 7 steals) & Co. manhandle his not-ready-for-prime-time players.

Meanwhile, rookie Ralph Sampson showed us what he can be - and what he isn't yet. He forced Robert Parish (23 points, 10 rebounds) to alter the teardrop jumper, and finessed his way to 12 points and 16 rebounds. But he also turned the ball over 11 times (a triple-double he won't brag about) and learned a few lessons from Boston's all-star frontcourt. The rest was standard stuff. This was no victory laced with deadly rancor and avenging furies. It wasn't a convincing statement for K. C. Jones' democracy over Fitch's dictatorship. Quite simply, the leader with the most weaponry won.

A 33-18 second quarter put the Celtics on top for good. Parish, who was somewhat stagnant against Sampson in the first half, came to life after intermission and the Celts went ahead by 18 (70-52) with 7:20 left in the third. McHale joined Parish in the frontcourt wars and the Celtics were able to stay comfortably ahead for the rest of the period. Jones was so comfortable that he elected to summon human victory cigar, Greg Kite, with 1:29 left in the third quarter. Kite was safely on the pine when the fourth quarter started. McHale took over, scoring eight of Boston's first 10, but Elvin Hayes, making his last Garden appearance, answered with seven for the Rockets. When the Big E fouled out (prompting a nice ovation) with 8:56 left, the Celts led, 92-80.

The Celtics appeared to put it away with six straight after the applause for Hayes died down. The crusher came when Henderson made a nice steal and fed Bird for a dazzling reverse layup. The Celts led, 98-82, the crowd erupted and Fitch called time with 7:26 showing. Houston wouldn't die. The Rockets came back in the final five minutes and cut Boston's lead to 109-99 with 3:29 left. Boston called time, then came back with five in a row (Parish and McHale again) to ice it. Intent on making their new coach proud, the Rockets had burst to a 16-8 lead in the first six minutes.

But Henderson (nine in the quarter) and Bird started running and when Bird stripped the ball from Sampson and canned a jumper at the other end, Houston's lead was down to one (20-19). The Rockets came back with a Sampson dunk and a jumper by Lewis Lloyd after a Parish turnover. Parish was in a funk for the entire quarter. Sampson made the Chief alter his shot (Utah's Mark Eaton is the only other man who can do that) and Parish was hesitant to take it to the basket. Parish was scoreless in the first 12 minutes, which ended with Houston leading, 28-23. The Celtics opened the second quarter with nine straight. After Sampson interrupted briefly with a free throw, Boston scored six more in a row. The 15-1 surge (Parish had six) peaked when Dennis Johnson scored on a pretty fastbreak feed from Carr. Houston managed only four field goals in 20 shots during the period.