14-Minute Clinic by Rookie Bird Leads to W

January 31, 1980

Cleveland coach Stan Albeck could only lament last night in the wake of the Cavaliers' 110-103 loss to the Celtics about the difficulties of playing back-to-back games without injured star forward Campy Russell.  "Hell, our schedule is brutal. Then we've lost 12 of 14 games without Campy so far," said Albeck, not meaning that there was some hidden apologies last night for his team's effort against the Green.

Overall, this was a game not to remember for the 12,126 at the Garden who, throughout the first half, were wondering whether or not the home club was going to get fired up before the night was over.

In the first quarter, the Celtics took a 30-27 lead, mostly on the efforts of Cedric Maxwell, who wiggled in 10 points underneath the arms of Dave Robisch and Mike Mitchell. But by halftime, the Cavaliers, obviously exhausted after Tuesday night's four-overtime victory over the Lakers, nevertheless started to control the boards (25-19 in the first half) and the tempo of the game.

At this point, the Celtics' fast break - that had been so devastating in Chicago the night before - was no factor. Mitchell (game-high 27 points), with towering one-hand jumpers from inside, took care of the rest as the Cavaliers led, 55-54, at the half.

In the third quarter, Cleveland built its lead to 59-55, its biggest of the evening, but Larry Bird, the home team's MVP for the night with 21 points and 15 rebounds, decided to take over. In a four-minute clinic, Bird hit 13 straight points and ignited a Celtic surge that brought some life to the place. And Gerald Henderson's two spaceship drives closed the gap to 80-78 at the end of the third quarter.

For the second straight night the bench was big contributor to the Celtic cause. Of the 30 points coming from the bench, Henderson picked up 14 valuable ones, 10 of them in the second half.

At the start of the fourth quarter, with Henderson and Archibald in the backcourt, the Celtics went up, 82-80, after a steal by Bird and on a Cleveland defensive miscue that found Austin Carr on a switch trying to stop Bird on a jumper from the corner.

For the rest of the game the ball simply started rolling to the Celtics, especially Rick Robey (10 rebounds, 16 points), who picked up a loose ball for an uncontested layup to make it 87-84. A rocket drive by Henderson past Randy Smith made the score 93-86 as the Celtics started wearing down the Cavs with their bench strength.

The Cavaliers threatened to make a run at it, cutting the gap to 100-95 with 2:05 left, but a sloppy fast-break pass by Foots Walker was deflected by Robey and turned into a three-point play by Archibald, who banged his left arm into the padded goal protection after he slipped the ball through Walker's arms for the basket.

When all was said and done, Cleveland could not handle a fourth-quarter surge, during which the Celtics outscored them, 32-23.

The only real solice for the Cavs was that this was their last game until the All-Star break.

"Hell, our first game after the break is Seattle," Albeck said. Well, Stan, what can you do?