Walton Goes for 19 & 13 in 25 Minutes

January 27, 1986

The pre-game mood was different today in the Philadelphia 76er and Boston Celtic dressing rooms. The 76ers were relieved that Kevin McHale, who had scored 88 points in his previous three games against them, was sidelined with a painful Achilles tendon in his left foot. The Celtics were wondering who among them would make up for the loss of the 6-foot-11-inch power forward.

The Celtics' answer began to evolve late in the third quarter, but not before they had fallen behind by 74-64, while Larry Bird, their all-round hero, was shooting 3 for 14 from the field.

But the success the 76ers had against Bird with Bobby Jones, Julius Erving and Charles Barkley at various stages of the game, suddenly ended in dramatic fashion.

Bird, who had only 6 points at halftime, added 25 in the second half and, with help from Bill Walton, pushed the Celtics past the 76ers for a 105-103 victory at Boston Garden.

Streak Continues

The nationally televised game featured the league's two hottest teams. The Celtics won their eighth straight game and their 12th in their last 13. The 76ers lost for only the third time in their last 20 games. The Celtic streak, which began after their Christmas Day loss to the Knicks, left them with a 33-8 record, the best in the league.

Bird, who had shot 55 percent in his last 12 games, scored 13 of his points in the third quarter, 9 of them coming on 3-point baskets, to lead the Celtics' rally.

Bird launched his first 3-pointer from the left corner with 3 minutes 7 seconds left to cut the 76er margin to 76-70. With 1:30 remaining, he hit another from the same spot to slice Philadelphia's advantage to 76-75. The third 3-pointer, a 40-footer, provided Boston with an 82-78 lead at the end of the quarter.

''Bird's had some tough shooting nights in our previous three games, but in the end he's still there to make the big play,'' said Matt Goukas, the 76ers' coach. ''The guy is unconquerable. You could almost figure it was coming, he was too quiet for two and half periods.''

High Praise

While Barkley, who led the 76ers with 26 points and 21 rebounds was calling Bird, ''the best player in the league,'' Erving offered a more analytical explanation for Bird's dramatics.

''They all came in transition and in the open court,'' he said, ''and when that happens, there is not much the defense can do.''

David Thirdkill and Bird opened the final quarter with successive baskets to expand the Celtic lead to 8 points. The 76ers wiped out the margin with a 13-2 spurt that moved them into a 93-90 advantage with six and a half minutes remaining. After Bird and Parish had restored Boston's lead to 96-95, the 76ers went up by 3 points with 3:55 left on a jumper by Sedale Threatt. It was the last basket the 76ers were to score. Philadelphia's other 4 points came at the free-throw line.

Walton Scores 19

A layup by Walton, who had 19 points and 13 rebounds in 25 minutes, followed by Bird's 3-point play, put the Celtics ahead to stay, 101-99, with a minute left.

''We have to reflect on having beaten ourselves,'' said Erving. ''We didn't have the poise and discipline we should have had.''

Guokas said his team ''came up empty on our last seven possessions. We certainly had our opportunities but didn't take advantage of them.''

Parish, the 7-foot Celtic center, called the final minutes of the game, ''great defense.''

''We played super defense,'' he said. ''It was a swarming defense that didn't allow them to setup their offense. We made them rush their shots. Bill Walton has just been playing out of sight these last three games.''

A Time for Thought

What was K. C. Jones, the Celtic coach, thinking with his team trailing by 13 points and Bird not hitting?

''I was thinking that we have had a good run the last two weeks and that I was going to give my guys a day off Monday,'' Jones said. ''Then I put in our second bunch. They got us back into the game and I started coaching again.

''You can't play with tired people in this league and be effective, so I wasn't too hesitant to go to the bench. Our green team and Larry's 3-pointers saved the day.'' Wedman Starts Scott Wedman, who started in McHale's place, had 16 points, 10 in the first quarter. . . . The capacity crowd of 14,890 was the 242d consecutive sellout. . . . Maurice Cheeks, the 76ers' playmaker, scored 22 points and handed out 8 assists in his bid to be added to the all-star squad. The league's coaches will vote today to select the rest of the players on the teams.