Celts-Sixers Ready for Rematch

December 21, 1982

CELTICS IN TROUBLE - LET US COUNT THE WAYS

PHILADELPHIA

Take the Charles over the Schuylkill, Rocky Marciano over Rocky Balboa, James Michael Curley over Frank Rizzo and Fanueil Hall over Independence Hall. Just don't take the Celtics over the Sixers. Not tonight.



Pushing provincial emotion aside, it becomes difficult to make a case for the Celtics' chances against the 76ers in the Spectrum this evening.

Consider:

- The Revenge Reason - Boston annihilated the Sixers, 123-97, 10 days ago in the Garden. A Celtic blowout over Philly has been a dangerous harbinger in recent times. It was after Boston thrashed the Sixers by 40 that Philly came back to dominate the next three games in last spring's Eastern Conference final.

- The Injury Index - Since his heroic 42-minute, 18-point, 13-rebound effort against the Sixers, Robert Parish has been wincing in pain and icing down his left ankle. Coach Bill Fitch said Parish will start and the Chief said he's ready for Moses Malone; but how ready can he be after playing only 30 minutes in the five games since the Sixers left town? Meanwhile, Andrew Toney's left shoulder has yet to recover from Ricky Mahorn's blind pick Saturday night. X-rays were negative and Billy Cunningham said he'll let Toney decide whether or not he can play. Toney said he'll play if he has full range of motion, and we'd do well to remember that the sight of Celtic Green has always been a magic elixir for Andrew.

- The Fatigue Factor - This will be Boston's fifth game in seven days, while the Sixers are in the midst of a four-games-in-14-days holiday. "We'll beat them," Julius Erving predicted yesterday. "Our team will be rested, we are playing at home, there's the possibility for us to open a little room, and it would be a nice Christmas present for us. They've been playing a lot of games. Their people have been playing a lot of minutes."

- The Recent-Results Register - Since losing in Boston, the Sixers have beaten Detroit, Cleveland and New York, and dropped a decision to Washington. However, the Celtics have lost two of their last three, and since beating Philadelphia, struggled in five straight games. In Boston's three victories since the Philly game, the Celtics won one in overtime and trailed by large margins (17 and 20) in the other two. Larry Bird has shot only 33 percent (28-84) in his last four games and Tiny Archibald has shot 29 percent (9-31) while committing eight turnovers in his last three games.

The Celtics are the first to admit that things haven't been going well. At yesterday's two-hour practice, they were still smarting from Sunday night's 131-114 beating at the hands of the Pistons. It was the greatest margin of defeat, and the most points allowed by the Celtics this year. Detroit outscored Boston, 31-6, in the final nine minutes.

"If we play like that in Philadelphia, we'll get killed," Rick Robey said yesterday.

Danny Ainge added, "Hopefully, everybody's a little upset at the way we've been playing and executing, offensively and defensively. We're not playing really well right now. It seems like we get behind, then say, OK, let's get 'em.' It paid off for a while, but we can't keep turning it on and off like that."

Fitch, still disgusted after a night of horror movies (read: Detroit game films) said, "We've got some guys that aren't playing with the intensity you have to have."

Fitch plans to stick with his starting guard duo of Ainge and Quinn Buckner. Parish will start up front with Bird and Cedric Maxwell. If Toney can't play, Cunningham will start Clint Richardson in the backcourt with Maurice Cheeks. Marc Iavaroni, Malone and the Doc will man the frontcourt.

The rivalry needs no embellishment. Since Bird and Fitch came to Boston three years ago, the Celtics and Sixers have met in 39 regular-season and playoff games. Philadelphia leads, 20-19 overall and 2-1 in playoff series. The two have played twice this year. Boston took the 26-point blowout in the Garden, but lost in double overtime in the Spectrum Nov. 6.