Celts Down Mavs

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 114, Mavs 107
Record 54-19
March 29, 1984


The Dallas Mavericks came to Boston hoping to be officially emancipated from Expansion Status. Almost four years old, the Mavs have managed to beat every NBA team . . . except one. The Boston Celtics made it 8-0 against Dallas last night at Boston Garden, running to a 114-107 victory over the playoff-bound Texans. Fatigue played a key role in this one. After four games of beef and brutality with Atlantic Division rivals, the Celtics found themselves in a Western Conference shootout, and it wasn't easy keeping up with the Mavericks' young legs. The Celtics responded. In the final 12 minutes, the Green team dug in and held the Mavs to 43 percent from the floor (9 for 21) and no free throws, while outrebounding the visitors, 13-7.

"They could control better," admitted Dallas coach Dick Motta. "I didn't ask my guys if they were tired. I expected 'em to play. I'm just not as deep as he is." Boston's scoring was evenly distributed. Larry Bird had 23, Dennis Johnson 18, Kevin McHale and Cedric Maxwell 17 and Robert Parish 16. Meanwhile, official player-of-the-game Gerald Henderson scored 12 with 10 assistss and three steals. The Mavericks got 28 from All-Star Mark Aguirre, 22 from Rolando Blackman and 16 from Pat Cummings. Aguirre scored Dallas' first seven points and induced Maxwell into a pair of quick fouls. Then the Celtics adjusted.

"They were doing something really different," said Aguirre. They sent a man all the way from the weak side and I didn't pick it up until the second half. They made a real good adjustment." When Aguirre went silent, Cummings awoke with five first-quarter baskets. The Mavs were able to hang in and tied it at the end of one on a steal and a breakaway by Derek Harper (15 points). The Celtics were outshot (52 percent to 47) and outrebounded (13-8) in the first 12 minutes. Bird had 10 in the period.

Rookie Dale Ellis exploded with 12 of his 16 in the second quarter.The Celts weren't playing much defense and a three-point play by Aguirre gave Dallas a five-point lead with 0:27 left in the half. It was 59-55 at intermission. Nine points by Aguirre and Blackman had pushed the Mavericks to a 68-61 lead early in the third. Then the Celtics roared back with 13 straight: a DJ follow-up, a fast-break dunk by Maxwell, a three-point play off the break by McHale, two free-throws by DJ, a fast-break basket by DJ and two free throws by Maxwell. It was 74-68. Ironically, a fellow named Bird was on the bench for the entire flurry.

Cummings broke the string with a long jumper, Dallas' first basket in more than three minutes. After a jumper by Blackman, the Celtics ripped off another five in a row to take a 79-72 lead with four minutes left in the third. Cummings, Ellis and Harper pulled the Mavs to within one (89-88) at the end of three, and when Blackman (22) blasted Scott Wedman for a power dunk early in the fourth, Dallas led, 92-91. Down, 94-93, the Celtics went on a 9-2 run to take a 102-96 lead with 5:22 left. Parish started the winning surge with a turnaround. DJ followed Parish with a post-up jumper, and after a basket by Derek Harper, McHale converted a pass from Gerald Henderson for two - then Henderson turned a McHale feed into a three-point play.

The Mavericks couldn't get closer than four the rest of the way. A bomb by Bird with 2:30 left gave the Celts a 108-100 lead. After a jumper by Mark Aguirre (28), Bird converted a three-point play with 1:19 left to make it 111-102. Lights out. "I thought Larry Bird was the difference," Motta said. "We got hurt by a traveling call (on Blackman), then Bird took over. That's what great players are supposed to do. That's why they make a million a year."