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."