Ramon Rivas Struggles Against Mark Eaton and Jazz

February 17, 1989


So much for the we-lost-but-we-were-close rationalization.

Even that won't wash anymore. The Celtics were pummeled by the Utah Jazz, 129-114, at the Salt Palace last night in a game that was decided after precisely 23 minutes.

By that time, three things were clear: Boston had no idea how to spring itself from Utah's 1-3-1 trap, Boston could not buy a basket, and Boston could not stop the Jazz from running away with a 64-48 halftime lead.

In other words, the home club put on a mighty convincing show (55.4 percent shooting, a season-low 10 turnovers, season high in points), but the hapless Celtics earned a big assist by playing like an expansion club.



They shot 42.1 percent for the game and allowed an embarrassing number of transition baskets.

During garbage time (the entire fourth quarter), guys like Kevin McHale and Kevin Gamble made the score semirespectable. Don't be fooled. This was the worst mess of the season.

"We were pitiful," said Robert Parish. "We should be ashamed of ourselves."

The downtrodden locals did manage to cut the deficit to 12 three times in the third. But on the third occasion, Thurl Bailey rolled in a hook, then Dennis Johnson lost control of his dribble. DJ dived for it in a pile with Mike Brown and thought he got a jump ball; instead, he was whistled for his fourth foul.

Coach Jimmy Rodgers stormed the court and picked up one, then another technical in the midst of his rage.

The ejection hardly sparked his club. Instead, Utah ripped off a 13-3 run to leave Boston down, 91-69, with 2:31 left in the third. Soon after, the Celtics were down by 20.

Rodgers, who spent the day in bed with the flu, went home sick after his ejection, leaving assistant coach Chris Ford to explain why the Celtics were so helpless against a trap they've seen countless times against countless teams. Shooting a hurried outside jumper is the worst thing you can do against the defense, and it was what Boston did nearly every time.

"When you are out there playing, the outside shot looks inviting," said Ford. "But unless you are on a hot streak that night, and you really feel it, the best thing you can do is pull the ball back out and try to drive or get it inside. If you don't, and you miss, it's almost like a turnover because they turn into fast break baskets."

The troubles began early. With the Jazz holding a 23-19 lead and 4:12 left in the opening frame, Rodgers inserted Ramon Rivas for Parish, giving the rookie the job of bodying Mark Eaton. Less than two minutes later, the coach plugged in Gamble for Brian Shaw.

The results were nothing short of disastrous. The first time down the floor, Rivas tripped while fighting a pick and Eaton (6 for 6) scored on an easy stuff. When Boston's seldom-used rookie tried to take it in on offense, Eaton twice swatted away his shot. By the time the frustrated Rivas left the floor, the only stat he had was two fouls.

Gamble fared little better. He bricked three free throws in four tries.

While all this was going on, Utah was chugging along with a 33-24 advantage after one.

"Jimmy felt Rivas and Gamble had showed enough in practice to see what they could do in a real situation," said Ford. "After the first quarter, Kevin played pretty well. And Ramon, he couldn't get any breaks."

Danny Ainge (25) helped close the gap in the second quarter by taking Jim Farmer to school with an array of one-on-one jump shots. Ainge torched the reserve for 11 points and pulled his club within 5 (42-37) before coach Jerry Sloan adjusted and put Darrell Griffith on the Celtics' hot hand.

Ainge kept on trying his one-on-one attack and turned the ball over twice in a row under pressure from Griffith in the process.

That's when Karl Malone (36 points, 11 rebounds) and Co. used the trap to rip off a 15-2 run and made the boys from Boston look like scared college freshmen, not NBA veterans.

Not only did it produce 1-for-7 shooting by Boston in the final 4:13 (we won't mention the three turnovers), it gave Utah countless transition opportunities. Add it up and it turned a 49-44 ballgame into a 64-46 joke.