C's Down KC Kings, Move to 11-1

11/25/84

CELTICS DOWN KANSAS CITY KINGS

The streak is now six in a row and the Celtics are 11-1, just like the Dolphins, Broncos and 49ers.

Boston defeated the Kansas City Kings last night, 135-124, before the largest crowd (17,341) in the 13-year history of the KC franchise.

There are folks who will tell you that George Brett, Tom Watson and the Oak Ridge Boys are Kansas City's only true Kings, but KC's moribund basketball franchise gave Boston all it could handle last night.



The Celtics blew a 15-point first-quarter lead, and had to fight to re- build a 70-64 cushion at halftime.

Boston came out running in the third period and Cedric Maxwell (16 points and six rebounds in the third period) sparked the green to a early 12-point lead.

Then Dennis Johnson went to the bench with his fifth foul and Solid Gold Dancer Reggie Theus led the Kings back into it. When the Kings cut the lead to four (83-79), Maxwell started taking rookie Otis Thorpe into the torture chamber. A tap-in by Maxwell made it 98-85 with 1:12 left in the third. The Celtics had 19 rebounds and only two turnovers in the third period, and led, 102-88, after three.

Boston had only one starter in the game at the beginning of the fourth, but local hero Scott Wedman buried a pair of jumpers, and when Larry Bird, DJ and the starters returned, the Celts led by 12. Let the record show that Rick Carlisle was on the floor for more than 11 minutes of crunch time.

The Celts kept the heat on in the fourth and when Bird dropped a bomb to make it 120-108 with six minutes left, the Kings called time.

Theus led KC back and cut Boston's lead to five with four minutes left.

After Thompson cut the led to four, DJ stuck a jumper in Theus' face. DJ then rebounded a Mark Olberding miss and Bird canned a shot from out top to make it 129-121 with 1:36 left. The Celts were home free.

The Celtics led by as many as 15 in the first half, but Kansas City outscored Boston, 40-31, in the second period, chopping Boston's lead to 70-64 by intermission.

It was obvious that the big crowd didn't come to see Peter Verhoeven and Dane Suttle. The Celtics were the attraction.

From 4-4, the Celtics scored eight straight, taking a 12-4 lead on a baseline jumper by Dennis Johnson. Kings new/old coach Phil Johnson called time with 8:37 left in the quarter.

After the pause, Theus broke Boston's string with a jumper from the top of the key. Then Robert Parish (12 points in the first period) scored as he was fouled by LaSalle Thompson. Parish made the free throw, Thompson left with his second foul, and the Celtics led, 15-6.

Bird was temporarily stunned when he cracked heads with Theus, but recovered in time to hit a three-pointer, a free throw, grab two defensive rebounds and feed his teammates for four points off the break. Boston's second 8-0 run of the quarter gave the Celtics a 26-14 lead with four minutes left in the first.

Providence's Thorpe entered the game at the end of the first period. Kevin McHale immediately faked Thorpe out of his socks for an easy layup. A banker by Bird with four seconds left gave the Celtics a hefty, 39-24 lead at the end of one. The Celts shot 60 percent to KC's 35 percent in the first 12 minutes and forced six King turnovers. Bird had 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in the quarter.

Boston started the second period with Quinn Buckner and M.L. Carr in the backcourt and the Kings took advantage. Kansas City opened the period with a 6-0 run, capped by an Eddie Johnson jumper which cut Boston's lead to 39-28 and forced coach K.C. Jones to call time. When EJ cut Boston's lead to six with a three-point play, Jones put Danny Ainge and DJ back in.

The Kings made their first seven floor shots of the second, including three baskets by Thorpe.

Two great passes by Maxwell enabled the Celts to push their lead back to 11, but the Kings came roaring back, scoring eight in a row. When John Drew capped a 12-2 surge with two free throws, the Kings had their first lead of the half, 62-61. Meanwhile, DJ went to the bench with his fourth foul.

Boston tightened its defense and Ainge scored seven points in a closing 9-2 surge that enabled Boston to regain its lead by halftime.