Mighty C's Lose One

December 5, 1984

PISTONS COOL OFF CELTICS

On a night when the inside of the Silverdome was the same temperature as a Haagan Daaz warehouse, the Celts turned stone cold and saw their 10-game winning streak snapped by the Detroit Pistons.

Playing the final 5:10 without a field goal, Boston dropped a 104-99 decision to the Pistons as 19,413 shivered in Pontiac's Ice Water Mansion. The Celts missed their last nine shots, recorded a season low for free-throw percentage (.711) and registered their second-worst totals in floor shooting (.429) and scoring. Even Doug Flutie would have had trouble pulling this one out.



The Celts could have used Flutie to cover Detroit Piston guard Vinnie Johnson. VJ scored 16 of his team-high 24 in the third quarter and put the Pistons ahead to stay (100-99) with 2:35 left in the game.

After VJ's bucket, Larry Bird (23 points, 17 rebounds) missed and Isiah Thomas (23 points, 10 assists) scored on a fastbreak drive. Then Robert Parish (2-8 from the floor) missed a pair of free throws with 1:57 left and the delighted Pistons called time.

When play resumed, the Celts squandered several additional opportunities. The C's missed three shots on one possession, but the Pistons were no better. With less than a minute to play, Danny Ainge (6 for 15) missed a jumper. After Dennis Johnson (23 of his 25 points in the second half) missed a three-point try, the Celts were forced to foul and two free throws by Isiah iced it.

"I think they really wanted the game a lot more tonight," said DJ. "Basically, they just outhustled us in the last five minutes of the game."

"We definitely wanted it," said Thomas. "But the key was that we were able to stop them. Usually Bird takes over at that point and gets about 10 points."

"Hell, we missed seven layups," said a disgusted Bird (9 of 21). "We just didn't come to play and you've got to come to play, especially on the road. You've got to be out there like you're hungry."

The Dome was 47 degrees earlier in the day, and Piston officials said it had warmed up to 58 by 7 p.m. Bird said the cold didn't bother him, but the big chill must have had something to do with the fact that only 79 of 186 shots went in. The Pontiac backboards were in danger of shattering all night long.

"I don't know why they don't have heat in here, but that doesn't help at all," said Celtic coach K.C. Jones.

"It's the coldest gym I ever played in," added Brook Steppe. "A couple of those rebounds came down with frost on them."

The Celts hit only 34 percent (9-26) in the first quarter, but led, 24-20, after one and 49-46 at the half. Detroit shot 35 percent (20-57) in the first two periods.

Both teams showed effects of the deep freeze in the first six minutes. The Celts were getting the shots they wanted but hit only four of the first 16 and missed two consecutive fastbreak layups. The Celts took charge at 20-18 and led until the final minute of the third period. Boston's biggest lead was nine (59-50 with 7:35 left in the third).

Coach Chuck Daly had his second unit on the floor for a good part of the second period. A post-up hoop by Cedric Maxwell (2 for 7) and two free throws by Kevin McHale (15 points and 10 rebounds) gave the Celts six straight points and a seven-point lead (39-32), their biggest of the half.

Before intermission, Isiah thrilled the masses by leaping over Parish and Bird for a one-handed, follow-up dunk. The Pistons cut Boston's lead to one twice but could not overtake the Green. Boston led by three at halftime.

It was Johnson & Johnson in the third. Vinnie scored 16 to DJ's 15, but the Pistons made up a nine-point deficit and took a 77-76 lead on an Earl Cureton dunk at the close of the third.

There were five lead changes in the first three minutes of the fourth period. A baseline jumper by Steppe gave the Pistons a three-point lead with eight minutes left.

DJ hit a post-up jumper with 5:10 remaining and that was it for Boston. The Celts got only three free throws the rest of the way.

We can now stop all the talk about "best starts." In a town where folks know something about fast starts (the Tigers were 35-5 last spring), the Celts dropped to 15-2 and now must share the distinction of "best start in franchise history" with the 1957-58 Celts who were also 15-1. Boston meets the 13-4 Denver Nuggets in Boston Garden tonight.