Now It's Bird's Finger that Hurts

May 20, 1985

BIRD'S RIGHT FINGER SWELLS UP, HIS SCORING (14) GOES DOWN

PHILADELPHIA

It's an old softball injury. His brother once hit a line drive that Larry Bird caught straight-on, smashing his right index finger. He has had two operations on the finger, but it has been disfigured since he joined the Celtics in 1979. In Saturday's first half, Bird again jammed the finger while going one-on-one with Julius Erving. It swelled up overnight and was almost twice its normal size yesterday.

Bird's 14-point output was his lowest of the playoffs and his lowest overall since he scored 13 on March 20 against Milwaukee. He had fewer than four field goals only once this season. Yesterday's eight turnovers were a season high.

Bird would not use the injury as an excuse. With his finger and right elbow wrapped in ice, Bird said, "It's just part of the game. If it bothered me to the point where I couldn't play, I wouldn't be out there on the court, but it didn't hamper my game today any."

Bird isn't the only injured Celtic. Robert Parish sprained his left ankle and will be examined today . . . Parish has outrebounded Moses Malone, 54-52, in the series . . . Bobby Jones has only eight rebounds in four games but made seven of eight shots yesterday . . . Julius Erving has hit only 18 of 62 shots (29 percent) and five of 31 (16 percent) in his last two games . . . Maurice Cheeks responded from Saturday's 5-for-13, one-assist game with 22 points . . . After taking only six shots Saturday, Kevin McHale took 22 yesterday and scored a team-high 25 points . . . The Celtics are 2-10 in the Spectrum in regular-season and playoff games over the last three seasons . . . At home, Boston has won 10 straight playoff games and 19 of 20 over two seasons (Game 1 to LA is the only loss) . . . Game 5 is Wednesday night at the Garden at 8 o'clock.