Bird Hurt, but Will Play

January 9, 1980

CELTICS NOTEBOOK BIRD READY TO PLAY

Larry Bird apparently will keep his date with the New York Knicks tonight (7:30,WBZ), when the Celtics return to the NBA wars at the Garden after a five-game West Coast road trip.

It had been feared that a sprained ankle suffered by Bird last Saturday night in San Antonio might keep him out of tonight's contest. But Bird worked out with the Celtics yesterday and coach Bill Fitch said he would be available.

"This does not mean he will be 100 percent," said Fitch. "But he can play. The Knicks have been playing very well lately and we have a tough stretch ahead of us even though the next seven games are at home. It's nice to be back in your own place. But you have to win to prove you're off the road."

The Celtics announced that Sunday's game with Los Angeles is a virtual sellout and would be televised locally by Ch. 38. Only about 300 seats, all obstructed view, were left as of yesterday afternoon. Ch. 38 will televise the game, which will be carried nationally over the CBS network because Ch. 7 has scheduled a telethon in that time period. Times dictate a certain flexibility in scheduling. Even though the Celtics are playing the defending NBA champion Seattle Supersonics on Jan. 20, the game will start at noon to avoid conflict with the Super Bowl that Sunday.

Boston still does not have a player in the top 10 scorers in the latest NBA statistics, but Nate Archibald is second in assists (8.6).