Bird's Rookie Year: December 17, 1979

December 17, 1979

He missed the first one, but swished the next two and the teams were in OT.

The Celtics had very little going in overtime for the first three minutes, but after a Calvin Natt short turnaround gave NJ that 110-105 advantage. But Archibald penetrated and fed Cowens for a lay-up, and, following a Newlin jumper, Chris Ford - who else? - stuck in a three-pointer from the left corner to make it 112-110 with 1:18 to play. "The Green Machine," as Carr calls it, was revved up again.

The key play was delivered by Archibald, who sprinted downcourt after a New Jersey miss and banked in a vintage '73 driving three-point play over two Nets to restore Boston's lead. And when Ed Jordan missed a jumper, Cedric Maxwell rebounded, pitched it to Archibald and the inevitable backcourt foul ensued. Tiny dropped in both shots with 18 seconds to play, making it 115-112.

New Jersey had two more chances. Newlin, who scored 24 points in the fourth quarter (18) and overtime (6), missed one, but after rebounding the ball Maxwell was called for traveling with one second left. Natt's attempt to tie it up was way short, and Boston's victory was assured.

The magnificence of Newlin's play was the lasting memory of this momentum- laden game. "I'm not the kind of player who normally dominates a game," he said. "I just stay in the flow and take my shots as they come." But on this occasion he was a man's man from the outset. His point distribution by periods was 11-8-9-18-6, and he hit a varied assortment of stop-and-pop jumpers, leaners and drives (mainly left-handed), all the while playing good defense. He hit time and time again when the Celtics were ready either to put the game away or make a comeback bid (there were 16 ties and 14 lead changes in regulation alone).

"Newlin was numero uno out there tonight," saluted Fitch. "He played a fantastic all-around ballgame, and I don't know why he took it out on us."

The Celtics were definitely in command, leading by a 90-80 score with 8:51 to play after having been ahead by thin margins at the half (54-53) and three-quarter (78-76) junctures. But New Jersey went to work, scoring 10 straight points, the last six by Newlin, to tie it at 90-90. The biggest margin down the stretch would be three, a 95-92 Boston lead with 5:25 to play.

The Newlin display, the late Celtics heroics and controversial officiating decisions of Nunez and Madden were what stuck in the minds of the crowd of 7716, but what registered in Fitch's mind was the play of his bench. On a third-game-in-three-nights situation, Fitch needed help from some auxiliary personnel, and at one time or another he got a plus performance from Don Chaney, Gerald Henderson, Rick Robey and, of course, Carr, the gutsiest one-wristed player in the NBA. Neither stat sheet examinations nor memory- wracking can explain how they won this game, especially on the road.

But they did win. And they are 25-7. With every passing day they are beginning to feel more and more confident, and why not?