David's Toe

February 27, 1980

CELTICS NOTEBOOK COWENS RETURNS; CHANEY INJURED

The longest-running soap opera in Celtic history is over. Entitled "David's Toe," it recounted the gut-wrenching saga of one 6-foot-9 red-headed center's battle with a hyperextended left big toe that kept him out of action for 14 regular-season games and one All-Star game. But now it is over.



That's because Dave Cowens was activated last night. "He's ready for spot minutes," said coach Bill Fitch. "No lengthy duration."

In order to make room for the team captain, Don Chaney was placed on the five-game injured list with a pulled hamstring muscle in his right leg. He will not be eligible to come off the list until a week from tonight, when the Celtics play the Houston Rockets in the Summit.

Cowens was injured on the night of Jan. 22 in the third period of a game against Houston. He had shot 9 for 10 at the time, and factoring in his defense, he was probably playing one of his two or three best games of the season. With second-year man Rick Robey inheriting the starting center's job, and with European expatriate Eric Fernsten improving dramatically in a backup capacity, the Celtics compiled an 11-3 record without Cowens, and they came agonizingly close to being 13-1.

Last night's game at the Civic Center marked Boston's first appearance here since the infamous roof collapse in January 1978. In their last game in the "old" building, which seated 3000 less than the rebuilt edifice, they were beaten by the Phoenix Suns as Paul Westphal (43) and Walter Davis (40) shot them down . . . The Celtics entered the game against Atlanta with a 3-1 record vs. Hubie Brown's Hawks, who had won three straight games and 10 of their last 12 games . . . Atlanta arrived without high-scoring forward John Drew, who has a badly sprained ankle and who did not make the trip, and handyman Tom McMillen, who is out for the remainder of the season (playoffs included) after tearing ligaments in his right knee.

Attendance continues to be a major Celtic story. The remaining nine games at the Garden are essentially sold out, with only obstructed views and single seats remaining. Last night's affair was a sellout and the next Boston visit, on March 18 (vs. Indiana), is also sold out. In addition, the Celtics have sold out 19 times in 31 attempts on the road . . . A reminder that the Celtics have not lost two games in a row since the fifth and sixth games of the season, back on Oct. 20 and 23, when they lost to Indiana (in overtime) and San Antonio . . . Larry Bird (20.2 ppg, 10.5 rebounds per game), had led the team in scoring nine times in the last 12 games, while leading the team in rebounding 15 times in the last 20 games.

Atlanta came to Hartford having shot .925 (49-53) from the foul line in its last two games . . . Chris Ford was playing in his 410th consecutive game . . . Tiny Archibald had registered a double-figure assist total 19 times, including three times in his last eight games . . . Cedric Maxwell, en route to his second consecutive field-goal percentage crown, had shot less than 50 percent in only five of his first 61 games - all on the road . . . The Celtics return to the Garden for the first time since Feb. 10 this evening, when they play San Antonio for the third and final time. The Spurs were sitting in Boston
watching last night's game on TV. Well, some of them, anyway.