Bird (29, 13, & 8) and Parish (25 & 15) Lead the Way

November 1, 1984

C's Hang Banner, Win Opener

Before their home opener against the Nets tonight, the Celtics raised a green-and-white banner to the rafters of Boston Garden to mark their 15th league championship.

While the Celtics were on the floor for the ceremony, the Nets retired to the locker room instead of watching. "Maybe it would've been good for us," said Otis Birdsong, the Nets' captain. "But then, maybe not."



The Nets played their best basketball of the season for three periods, but Larry Bird led a Celtic comeback as Boston defeated the Nets, 116-105.

Bird combined with Robert Parish to thwart the undermanned Nets, who were without Darryl Dawkins and Albert King, both of whom are suffering from back problems. The Nets were also forced to play much of the game without Micheal Ray Richardson, who was ejected in the second quarter after being charged with two technical fouls.

Bird Scores 29 Points

Bird scored 14 points in the third quarter, and the Celtic captain finished with his 29 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Parish added 25 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

"The game belongs to Parish and Bird," said Stan Albeck, the Net coach. "They're like executioners. But that's what they get paid the big money for."

Six players scored in double figures for the Nets, who were led by Birdsong's 21 points. Buck Williams, who played 48 minutes, grabbed 14 rebounds.

But the loss of Richardson, who sparked the Nets early, was too much to overcome. The Net point guard came into the game shooting only 35 percent from the field, but he caught fire late in the first quarter, scoring 10 of the Nets' final 11 points and their first basket of the second quarter to help change an 18-15 deficit into a 28- 22 lead.

The Nets, adjusting to life without Dawkins, their muscular center, were moving well. They made the first six shots of the second period, but Boston made seven of its first eight in the same stretch, and the game was tied, 36-36, with 7 minutes 58 seconds remaining.

Fouled Scott Wedman

Richardson's ejection occurred on the Nets' first possession after the game was tied. After the Net guard was charged with an offensive foul against Scott Wedman, the two exchanged words and banged shoulders as they ran to the other end. After warning them twice, the referee, Paul Mihalak, charged each of them with a technical. Richardson had already been charged with a technical in the first period for not giving up the ball after a foul and the second meant automatic ejection.

Mihalak said Richardson and Wedman were charged for "abusive profanity."

But that wasn't enough for Albeck. "I never got an explanation," he said. "It's the finality of the thing I don't like. He was having a great game, and there's no recourse."

Richardson had made 7 of 10 shots and had a pair of steals, but the player wouldn't say that his ejection had cost his team the game. He added, however, that is wasn't a "big help."

Mike O'Koren, who replaced Richardson, scored 16 points and Darwin Cook, who had been erractic in the first three games, added 18.

The Nets took an 86-83 lead into the fourth period by scoring the final two baskets of the third quarter. But they quickly unraveled as the Celtics scored the first 10 points of the fourth.