Bird Goes Crazy, Celtics Win (avenge only home loss in '86)

February 25, 1987 Larry Bird scored a season-high 43 points Wednesday night, as Boston defeated Portland 122-116, giving the Celtics five consecutive victories and snapping the Trail Blazers' winning streak at five.

The victory also improved the Celtics' home record for the season to 24-2. Their only home loss last season was to Portland.

Bird, whose previous high for the year was 40, tallied 13 of his points in the third period, when he and Kevin McHale sparked a 21-12 spurt in the final five minutes to tie the game 88-88. The Celtics had relinquished the lead midway through the first period and trailed by as many as 10 points.

Portland, riding the hot shooting of center Steve Johnson, who finished with 34 points, trailed by only three with three minutes left in the game.

However, the Celtics were able to contain Johnson in the final period, holding the 6-foot-10 center-forward to one basket and three foul shots in the last 12 minutes.

Forward Kiki Vandeweighe scored 14 of his 32 points in the fourth period to keep the Trail Blazers in the game. Terry Porter added 11 points and 13 assists.

Bird connected on 17 of 30 shots, including a 3-pointer. The three-time MVP also made eight of nine free throws, had 10 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one block.

McHale had 29 points and Robert Parish added 16, and each had 13 rebounds as the Celtics dominated the boards 52-29.