Parish Stars as C's Blow Out Cavs

1990-91 Boston Celtics Remembering the 29-5 Start  

November 3, 1990 

 His numbers tend to slip through the cracks, much like the man himself tries to do. In the wake of Opening Night, when the Celtics thrashed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 125-101, Robert Parish showered quickly, slipped out the side door and tried to exit quietly, anonymously. This was not the work of a man hiding from his performance. 

Even though Reggie Lewis and Larry Bird and Kevin McHale might have jumped out at the multitudes during last night's gala, the more discerning fans found themselves marveling at No. 00, running up and down the floor like a long, lanky gazelle, fulfilling his stated responsibilities with a stoicism that often masks his own passion for the game. Need proof of commitment? Check the stat sheet. Aside from Bird, no one played more minutes than Robert Parish. Nobody came close to duplicating his shooting accuracy of 10 for 11 from the floor. 

Perhaps his game-high 14 rebounds eluded you? Be advised the worth of this 37-year-old center, the oldest player in the NBA, has never escaped his teammates. "You get so accustomed to Robert's play, sometimes you just take it for granted," said McHale.

 "He's been a tremendous teammate for 11 years. At some point, you look beyond basketball and say to yourself, 'What kind of guy is this?' You look at Robert once and you know." It was a difficult offseason for Parish. His divorce spilled over into the tabloids, and this intensely private man had to live with some distasteful public scrutiny. 

 

Later his name popped up in the sports pages, where every trade rumor included him as bait. Finally, he lost his closest friend on the team, Dennis Johnson, who was not re-signed. "I was thinking about him," said Parish. "It's funny here without him. I miss him a lot."

 The emotions, however, have never altered his play. They did not prevent him from lofting soft turnaround rainbows in the paint, or ripping rebounds out from a crowd. 

They didn't affect the defensive job he did on young Brad Daugherty, who was always aware of No. 00 on his back, and shot 5 for 16 from the floor to prove it. Those are the advertised talents of Parish, the ones McHale is talking about taking for granted. Yet the oldest player in the league had a few more wares to peddle. 

There was his full-court pass to McHale on the break, a perfect strike that evoked a small, albeit warm smile from the Chief himself. There was also a poke-check steal in the open floor, a gift to his friend DJ, who had done it so many times. 

 "Robert is a very predictable player," said assistant coach Don Casey. "He always maximizes his position and his strength. "But there's more, too. This is not a rah-rah type of emotional team, but he is the spiritual leader. This is a work ethic franchise, and Chief is the model." 

The young guys tuckered Parish out last night, pushing and pushing the ball, imploring the veterans to keep on running. "I try to keep up, but it's impossible," Parish said.

 "Our backcourt is definitely into this, aren't they?" He refuses to think about Dee Brown being 21 years old, barely half his age. He kids with these young players, but has no choice but to be a bit removed. 

The list of longtime allies is dwindling; McHale and Bird are the only ones left. "Robert is one of those great players that doesn't care if he gets four shots a game or 10 shots a game," said Bird. "But this year I think it's really important for him to average 15 points a game or more." Bird was asked if he's noticed the list is dwindling. He was asked if he realized Parish is the oldest player in basketball. 

 "I don't care," he said. "I'm just glad he's here. After all the talk over the summer, I didn't know if he'd be gone or I'd be gone or we'd both be gone . . . I'm just glad he's here." He has been here 11 seasons, and has been trying to slip through the cracks most of that time. "It's just another year," said the oldest player in the league. "It doesn't feel any different."

Celtics Big Three Outscore Pistons Frontline 74-18, Outrebound them 38-11

Celtics Big Three Outscore Pistons Frontline 74-18, Outrebound them 38-11

April 29, 1985

After the Boston Celtics had struggled to eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs, their real front line reappeared today and helped overwhelm the Detroit Pistons, 133-99, at Boston Garden.

Parish, McHale Too Much as C's Take 3-1 Lead Over Bullets

Parish, McHale Too Much as C's Take 3-1 Lead Over Bullets

May 3, 1982

Before Bill Fitch, the coach of the Boston Celtics, would impart any thoughts to reporters about his team's 103-99 overtime victory over Washington at the Capital Centre today, he had one question for them.

Parish Goes for 17, 15, and 5 in Win

November  1980

This game was reason enough to own a home video recorder. You could just picture a Celtic junkie sliding this tape into his apparatus on July 4.

The Celtics were so good at times that the championship flags stood up and saluted. They were so sloppy and bumbling at times that Bill Fitch had all he could do not to send one of his assistants out for a shotgun. Most of all they were aggressive, gutsy, human, lovable and tall. Very, very tall.

Parish Goes for 29, 18, and 7

December 13, 1980

The star of Larry Bird Poster Night at Boston Garden spent 20 of the game's first 24 minutes on the bench with foul troubles tonight. By that time, his supporting cast had given the Celtics a 51-42 halftime lead against the New Jersey Nets.

Parish and Jabbar Renew Rivalry

Game 4; Celtics 110, Lakers 95

Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Summary
Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Media Coverage

January 30, 1983

When the smoke cleared, neither Robert Parish nor Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could claim a clear-cut victory after waging war in the trenches. But each had a direct bearing on the Celtics' 110-95 victory over the Lakers. When 7-foot-4 Jabbar was throwing in skyhooks in the first half, the Lakers seemed awesome even though their running game wasn't smooth. Jabbar scored 16 of his game- high 27 points in the half.

Celtics Make It 8 Straight

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 116, Bulls 101
Record: 8-1
11/13/1983

CHICAGO

Playing like a team intent on impressing the bowl committees, the Celtics made it eight in a row last night, goring the Chicago Bulls, 116-101, in Chicago's archaic sports palace.The streak matches Boston's longest victory string of last season and puts the Celtics on a 73-9 pace. Easy, now. It's a little early to be ordering banner No. 15, and there's no need to have the new mayor leave an open date for a City Hall Plaza victory reception in June. After all, the Celtics have thus far only played one game against a 1982-83 playoff team.

C's Down Cavs

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 98, Cavs 86
Record 57-19
April 4, 1984

RICHFIELD, Ohio

Remember the excitement and euphoria when the 1967 Red Sox won the American League pennant? This was nothing like that. In this suburban tundra, before a shoulder-to-shoulder throng of 7094 (presumably, the purists were home watching the Indians commence their annual charge to the World Series), Boston methodically dismantled the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers, 98-86, last night, clinching the 18th regular-season title in Celtics history.

There was no champagne in the Boston locker room. This was an evening that had all the anticipation and unpredictability of the 1984 Republican National Convention. The Celtics have known they would win the Atlantic Division since they returned from the West Coast in late February. "We only celebrate world championships in Boston," said assistant coach Chris Ford.

Larry Bird's 17 first-half points pushed the Celtics to a 52-48 lead. Cedric Maxwell (11) and Bird (12) exploded for 23 in the third period and the Celtics led by 15 (79-64) after three. The fourth quarter was played to satisfy the league office. "We got it to 15 and it became kind of a no-meaning game," admitted Kevin McHale. Three prime factors contributed to the Celtics' fifth win in a row: 1. Boston's frontcourt thoroughly dominated the outmanned Cavaliers. The quartet of Bird, Maxwell, McHale and Parish scored 80 percent of Boston's points; 2. The Celtics played good defense, holding Cleveland to a mere 35 points in the second and third quarters. The Cavaliers shot 38 percent for the night; 3. Cleveland was lethargic and pitiful, even by its own dubious standards.

Bird finished with 29 points (he left in the fourth after Winnebago Lonnie Shelton stepped on his right foot) and got plenty of help from Maxwell (20), McHale (17) and Parish (12 with 15 rebounds). Cliff Robinson (26 points, 21 rebounds) was Cleveland's only answer. The Cavaliers were without World B. Free (knee), and started a backcourt of rookie Paul Thompson and ex-BC great John Bagley.

With the frontcourt doing all the scoring (Boston's guards were shutout in the first 18 minutes), the Celtics jogged to an early four-point (14-10) lead. The lethargy was boundless. On two occasions, players were able to gather rebounds without leaving their feet. After a timeout, the Cavaliers awoke with eight straight, taking the lead on a hook by rookie Roy Hinson. When Robinson beat Parish underneath for a follow to make it 18-14, the Celtics called time. The Celtics shot 29 percent (7 for 24) in the first period, and trailed, 29-22, after one. Robinson had 12 rebounds and 14 points and led a 15-3 Cavalier surge in the first 12 minutes.

McHale and Bird paced a 30-19 second quarter that enabled the Celtics to go into the locker room with a 52-48 lead. McHale scored Boston's first eight points of the period, but the Celtics still trailed, 36-30, with eight minutes left in the half. Bird tied it (40-40) on a step-back bomb with 4:13 left in the second. When Cleveland coach Tom Nissalke put 6-foot-6 guard Thompson on Bird, the Celtics took advantage. Bird put Boston back in the lead for good with a jumper off the break, and two perimeter jobs from the set offense to make it 52-48 at intermission. A 27-16 third quarter iced it.

"This is no big deal," said McHale. "We knew we were going to clinch it a month ago, and it's been academic ever since." "I learned from Red (Auerbach) a long time ago not to be premature," said K.C. Jones.

Celtics Cruise Over Nets

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 107, Nets 98
Record 56-19
April 1, 1984

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

This is the cruise control season. It's all Clevelands and Chicagos from now on, and with the Atlantic Division and basketball's best record virtually locked up, sleepy eyes and heavy thighs take a toll. But these Celtics bear no resemblence to the April Fools who paraded in Green last spring. Last night, they traveled to Bruce Springsteen Country and came away with a convincing 107-98 victory over the Nets, which mathematically clinched a tie for the division title. Instead of eroding into late-season bad habits, the Celtics took it to the young, surging Nets, who had won 10 of their last 11 at home.

"If you let up, you get beat," said Larry Bird, who had 22 points. "This is a little different than in past years because we got everything wrapped up, but we're still coming to play. We're going at these games like we've got to have em." After a night of long, hard work by indefatigable Robert Parish (30 points, 13 rebounds) and Bird, a group consisting of Quinn Buckner (six assists), Danny Ainge, Cedric Maxwell, Scott Wedman and Kevin McHale took control of the game. It was 53-53 at intermission, and a 10-3 run after halftime pushed the Nets to a 63-56 lead early in the third. In the middle of the surge, Darryl Dawkins came out due to strained ligaments in his right wrist. Dawkins (11 points in the first half) never returned, and the Nets weren't the same without him.

With Chocolate Thunder missing, Parish took charge and the Celtics closed to within one (64-63) on a dazzling hoop by Bird. A three-point play by Bird tied it at 68 with 4:53 left in the third. The Celtics blitzed Jersey with ten straight points at the end of the period - turning a 71-70 deficit into an 80-70 lead. Do-it-all Parish and McHale each had 4 of the 10, and Wedman scraped the cobwebs off his arm long enough to bury his first jumper since Wednesday. The Celts led the rest of the way. Boston kept the pressure on at the start of the fourth. A hook by McHale (six points and four rebounds in the fourth period) and a corner jumper by Ainge made it 84-73 with 10:47 left. New Jersey coach Stan Albeck called timeout.

Wedman and Ainge kept it going and a Wedman jumper made it 94-79 with 5:50 left. Jersey fought back and pulled to within eight (with 4:36 left), but Bird and Parish returned and an outrageous lefty hook by Bird (on which he was fouled) made it 99-86 with less then three minutes to go. "Them not having Darryl was a big thing," admitted McHale. "If he'd been in there, it would have been a little closer. Jersey appeared to have the advantage in the early going. The Nets had beaten the Celtics two straight and had won 14 of their last 18 games.

Buck Williams (19 points, 18 rebounds) had nine points and six rebounds in the first period, which ended with Jersey leading, 30-28. The Nets outscored the Celts, 7-2, at the close of the period and shot 52 percent to Boston's 40 percent in the first 12 minutes. Albert King and Birdsong led an 8-1 run at the start of the second. After Reggie Johnson rebounded a missed layup by Ainge, King canned a baseline jumper to give the Nets a 38-29 lead with 10:00 left in the half. K.C. Jones called time. After the pause, Bird led an 8-0 surge by the Celtics. When Dennis Johnson scored off the break to cut Jersey's lead to one (38-37), the Nets called time. Dawkins and Cook (13) led the Nets back, and it was 53-53 at halftime. The second half was all Boston - and no Dawkins.

Celtics Down Pistons to Win 9th in a Row

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 125, Pacers 106
Record 38-9
February 6, 1984

When the last of the hosannas have been handed out after Boston-Philly XII, or after Mayor Ray Flynn high-fives Carlos Clark at City Hall Plaza in June, few will recall a rainy day in February when the Celtics and Detroit Pistons celebrated the Dreary Season with a five-star masterpiece. It was neatly tucked away yesterday afternoon at the trainless North Station - on the eve of the Beanpot and the Sarajevo smorgasbords, hours before a Bruins-Red Wings ice dance, and a day before the Celtics embarked for that vacationland in East Rutherford, N.J.

The cold type says the Celtics defeated the Pistons, 137-134, in overtime, stretching Boston's winning streak to nine straight and lengthening its Atlantic Division lead to blowout proportions (7 1/2 games). But for those who were there, it was much more. If the Hoop God had a heart, he'd had intervened after regulation, let the opponents toast one another, and called it a draw. "I've never been in the playoffs," said Pistons center Bill Laimbeer "But from what I've seen on TV, this was playoff-type basketball." "It was a great game by both sides," added Robert Parish (a not-too-shabby 36 points and 18 rebounds). "It had the intensity of a playoff game."

The outcome wasn't decided until the closing seconds of extra innings, when Isiah Thomas' 15-footer from the left side rattled down into the basket and popped out into the hands of Kevin McHale, who was fouled at the buzzer. "I thought it was two," said Thomas. "But then (Red) Auerbach brought his ghost out to knock it back out of the basket." It was fitting that Thomas and McHale were involved in the deciding play. Detroit's Pocket Magic came through with another Cousyesque performance, scoring 36 points and adding 11 assists. Buoyed by his All-Star MVP performance last Sunday, Thomas has erased any remaining doubt that he is the league's premier point guard. In his last three games, he has scored 99 points and handed out 44 assists.

Meanwhile, McHale continues his monster role as the eggplant that ate Detroit. Yesterday, he had a career-high 33 points to go with 13 rebounds. In five games against the Pistons this year, he's shooting 64 percent (50 for 78) and averaging 28 points and 12.4 rebounds. Larry Bird overcame a 12-foor-30 shooting day to score 28 with a game-high 19 rebounds (eight offensive boards). Throw in McHale and Parish, and Boston's treetop trio accounted for 97 points and 50 rebounds. Let's see Alex English, Dan Issel and Kiki Vandeweghe try to match that.

Thomas got help from Vinnie Johnson (19 points) and Laimbeer, (16 points with 13 rebounds), while Kelly Tripucka struggled for his obligatory 20. The Celtics led, 67-64, at intermission, but fell behind, 98-94, after three. A 7-2 run by Laimbeer pushed the Pistons to a 120-114 lead with 3:42 left in regulation. Boston awoke with eight straight: a Bird lefthander in the lane, a McHale turnaround, a Parish drive, and a Bird drive past Tripucka. Thomas tied it with a pair of free throws, but McHale hit two from the line to give the Celtics a 124-122 lead with 1:09 left. Five seconds later, Isiah was scoring again off the transition.

Two free throws by M.L. Carr (a heroic 34 minutes and 11 points) made it 126-124 with 16 seconds left. Detroit called time and set up a clear-out for Thomas. He took Danny Ainge to the basket, went under the hoop and laid it in high off the glass from the other side as Bird crashed in to help out. No foul was called. Eight seconds remained. The Celtics called time. Bird's would-be game-winners were blocked by Ray Tolbert, then Laimbeer. After the buzzer, Bird buried one from 25 feet. The Celtics ripped off six straight points in the first 2 1/2 minutes of overtime. Detroit came back with four, but when Carr dunked off a give-and-go from Bird, the Celtics led, 134-130 with 1:27 left. Seven seconds later, Thomas canned another floater off a drive as he was fouled by Ainge. He made the free throw to cut Boston's lead to one.

Parish made one of two foul shots to make it 135-133. At 0:25, Thomas was fouled by Parish. He also missed one of two, but recovered by stealing the ball from Quinn Buckner. Down by one, the Pistons inbounded with 18 seconds left and wound up with Thomas taking the 15-footer from the left. McHale snatched the rebound. "I had to get it and get this think over with," said McHale. "I was getting tired out there." "Me too," added Carr. "It's not easy keeping up out there with my grandchildren."

Celts Mow Down Mosesless Sixers

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 102, Sixers 98
Record 34-9
January 26, 1984

It wasn't quite the same. Beating the 76ers when they don't have Moses Malone is like winning Olympic hockey gold without playing the Russians or attending a Pips concert without seeing Gladys Knight. Still, the Celtics' fandom had to be happy with Boston's ragged, grinding 102-98 victory over the world champs last night. The win pushed the Celtics into a whopping five-game Atlantic Division lead and assured a comfortable All-Star break for K.C. and the Sunshine Band.

This wasn't an epic like the first three Boston-Philadelphia games this season. In a bumbling fourth quarter, the Celtics outscored the Sixers, 15-12, while the two teams shot an aggregate 25 percent (10 for 40). If it had been Cleveland vs. Indiana, folks would have asked for their money back. Since it was Boston and Philadelphia, it made you wish we could dispense with the 82-game formalities and get on with the Eastern Conference finals.

Malone's absence tarnished the evening. Without him in the game, you had a feeling that the Celtics would be able to control down the stretch. Sixers coach Billy Cunningham kept tossing sandbags named Sam Williams (a presence with 12 points and eight rebounds), Marc Iavaroni and Clemon Johnson into the surf, but in the end, he couldn't hold off the Green Tide. As always, the fourth quarter dictated the outcome. In a memorable display of offensive strangulation and ineptitude, the Sixers went six minutes without a basket, and made only 3 of 19 shots (.157) in the final 12 minutes. The scariest part was that the Sixers were actually able to mount a comeback in the process.

Asked to explain Philly's Big Chill, Dennis Johnson said: "I'd like to say it was all us, but they might have had a little to do with it." Andrew Toney went 3 for 12 from the floor and scored only 14; Malone's backup, Clemon Johnson, was 3 of 13; Julius Erving missed 6 of 12 free throws. "That's something that shouldn't happen," admitted the Doctor. "As long as I've been around, I'll have to take the demerit." Larry Bird was another rim clanger, making only 5 of 18 shots. The Celtics were led by heroic Robert Parish, who came through with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. Kevin McHale added 17 points (8 of 11) and 11 rebounds, and Quinn Buckner and Danny Ainge played like starters.

It was 31-31 after one. The second quarter featured 16 lead changes and ended with the Celtics leading, 60-58. In the third period, Boston looked as if it might put it away when it went ahead, 76-64. The Celtics capped a 16-6 drive when Gerald Henderson stripped Iavaroni and fed Bird, who found McHale for an easy layup. The Garden rocked, the Celtics led by 12 with 5:21 left, and Cunningham called for time. Boston's euphoria was short-lived. After a pause, Clint Richardson (10 points in 3:40) led a 14-4 Philly run that closed the gap to 80-78 with 2:01 left in the third.

The Sixers tied it at 82-82, and again at 86-86, but one free throw by Buckner with three seconds left gave the Celtics a scary 87-86 lead after three. DJ, Buckner, Cedric Maxwell (6 of 7 from the floor) and Clemon Johnson all had four fouls when the fourth quarter started. Parish pushed the Celtics to a 95-88 lead early in the fourth quarter. Erving brought the Sixers back to within three (95-92), before the Celtics effectively put it away with a 6-1 run. The fourth quarter's only surge started when Parish blocked Clemon Johnson's shot. Then McHale followed up a DJ miss, and Ainge (eight points and no turnovers in 22 minutes) hit from the top of the key after an Erving free throw. While wearing Bobby Jones, Bird canned one from the top of the key with 3:30 left to make it 101-93. It was Boston's final basket.

It was 101-94 when, with 2:15 left, the Sixers started their final comeback. They cut it to four and had Erving at the line with 48 seconds left. Again, Doc missed one of two. After a hideous turnover (Henderson's pass to a not-looking McHale flew out of bounds), Parish blocked Johnson's shot and came up with the loose ball. The Celtics led, 101-98, only 27 seconds remained, and the game was finally safe.

Red: Parish Doesn't Take a Back Seat to Anyone

Larry v. Magic: Game 6 Preview

Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Summary
Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Media Coverage

February 8, 1984

Starting tonight, Celtics fans will be treated to a smorgasbord of summit meetings featuring Robert Parish against three of the NBA's top centers.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers are in town tonight, Ralph Sampson and the Rockets will be at the Garden Friday night, and Sunday afternoon there's a chance that Moses Malone (ankle injury) will be back in action when the Sixers resume war with the Celtics.

Seattle's Jack Sikma is the only missing pivot star. Sikma, Malone, Abdul- Jabbar, Sampson and Parish are considered the top five big men in the game, and there's evidence that Parish may be the best of the lot at the moment. Parish, without question, is the top running center in the league. Statistically, he ranks ahead of Abdul-Jabbar, Sampson and Malone in field goal and free throw percentage, and has been the most durable of the big four.

"I don't make comparisons," says Celtics general manager Red Auerbach. "But Parish doesn't take a back seat to any one of them right now. He's playing exceptionally well, good enough to be ranked with anyone playing in the NBA today." Parish's first test comes against Abdul-Jabbar, who can become the NBA's career scoring leader (passing Wilt Chamberlain's 31,419) by averaging 20 points a game for the rest of the season.

How much does Abdul-Jabbar mean to LA?

"Kareem is still the man," says Celtics coach K.C. Jones. "He has been and always will be as long as he plays for the Lakers. He takes the big shot, gets the big rebound and makes the big block. He makes it possible for the other players to go out and play their game." He's all yours, Chief. And when you're through, Ralphie and Moses will be waiting.

Parish and Bird Lead C's to Victory over Blazers

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 115, Blazers 106
Record: 13-5
12/3/1983

There are nights when they sound like a mutual admiration society. Larry Bird talking about Robert Parish can only be embellished by Robert Parish talking about Larry Bird. But the truth is that when both men are working in concert, the Celtics are capable of playing their finest brand of basketball, and that was clearly the case in last night's 115-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Boston Garden. It was the Celtics' fourth straight victory, all at home, and set the stage for tomorrow's showdown with the Philadephia 76ers.

When you speak of this victory, it must begin with Bird, who put on one of those highlight film performances that resulted in a season high of 41 points and the most noise you'll hear from a sellout crowd of 14,890. Bird got 23 of his points in the second half to spark Boston from a 10- point deficit in the third quarter. He left no stone unturned, sinking a variety of shots (15 of 27), including a three pointer, adding 14 rebounds, a steal here and there, and enough floor burns to merit a new wax job for the ancient Garden floor.

But as great as Bird was, he is the first to tell you that he was only a tad better than Parish, who collected 34 points for the second time this year, hitting 14 of 16 shots. It was Parish who would set bone-jarring picks that allowed Bird to roam the court freely. In fact, it was Parish who carried the Celtics in the first half to 48-43 lead, scoring 21 points. But he was on the bench with five fouls when the Celtics fell behind, 69-59, and Bird made his run.

Bird led Boston on a spurt that pared the deficit to 83-82 and then the fun began.
Parish came in to give Bird a one-minute rest early in the final period. Then, when Parish returned with 6:48 left, Bird immediately used two picks to hit a pair of jump shots that enabled Boston to push a one-point lead to 99-94, and Portland never got any closer than five points after that. "They were running plays for me," said Bird, eagerly willing to share the credit with his teammates, "and I knew I had Robert picking for me. I knew if I didn't have the open shot, I could drop it down to him. Things started going my way, and I kept shooting.

"A lot of people think you can come off a pick, get yourself together and make the basket. But it is the pick that makes the shot." Purists could revel in this two-man show. Sometimes it was a simple pick and roll. Other times, Parish found a wide-open Bird, who has learned never to stop looking for the ball when it goes inside to the big Celtic center. "Once you have a big man who can move like Robert," says Bird, "you've got to go to him and you also have got to use him to take the pressure off yourself. "He's the guy you have to get the ball to if you want to have success, because he's our big scorer down low. But once you give it to him, you've got to move, because you might get it back. One way I can repay him is to give him some easy baskets."

The Blazers got their big third-quarter lead with a 1-3-1 trap, principally because Gerald Henderson was in foul trouble. But as Parish pointed out, it is dangerous to depend on it too long with a Bird on the floor. "He can beat you in a lot of ways," said Parish, "not just scoring. He sets up teammates with his passing and rebounding, things like that. We wanted to make them pay the price inside. But Larry had the hot hand, so all we wanted to do was score, and he was doing a good job of that. "Our guards have geen shooting very well," Parish continued, "and teams can't double-team inside. Larry becomes a plus and, when he has his outside going, teams really have trouble."

The Trail Blazers played for three quarters like a team that will be heard from around playoff time. But most of them had to admit that they don't see many players like a Larry Bird, who can ignite a team. "We could pressure them and force turnovers and run the floor while the Celtics were missing," said Mychal Thompson. "But when a guy like Bird gets on one of those rolls, there is not much you can do." Blazer coach Jack Ramsay echoed the thoughts. His club had overcome a first half of defensive lapses, allowing the Celtics several times to sneak away for easy baskets. But he said there is little defense for a man who takes the game into his own hands.

"If you want to give the game ball to anyone," said Ramsay, "give it to Larry Bird. He makes everyone else better. He was almost a whole team tonight. He made everything happen. You get so concerned with him that other people get open, and he finds them." Bird said he appreciated the praise but didn't think his club played all that well. "We should have had them down by more at halftime," he said. "We had two opportunites to blow it open and never did get the momentum. "In the second half, we just fell apart for a time. It takes a total team effort when you get get down by 10, not just one or two individuals. We had a whole team pointed in one direction, and the defense was tougher down the stretch."

Parish and Bird Lead C's to Victory over Blazers

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 115, Blazers 106
Record: 13-5
12/3/1983

There are nights when they sound like a mutual admiration society. Larry Bird talking about Robert Parish can only be embellished by Robert Parish talking about Larry Bird. But the truth is that when both men are working in concert, the Celtics are capable of playing their finest brand of basketball, and that was clearly the case in last night's 115-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Boston Garden. It was the Celtics' fourth straight victory, all at home, and set the stage for tomorrow's showdown with the Philadephia 76ers.

When you speak of this victory, it must begin with Bird, who put on one of those highlight film performances that resulted in a season high of 41 points and the most noise you'll hear from a sellout crowd of 14,890. Bird got 23 of his points in the second half to spark Boston from a 10- point deficit in the third quarter. He left no stone unturned, sinking a variety of shots (15 of 27), including a three pointer, adding 14 rebounds, a steal here and there, and enough floor burns to merit a new wax job for the ancient Garden floor.

But as great as Bird was, he is the first to tell you that he was only a tad better than Parish, who collected 34 points for the second time this year, hitting 14 of 16 shots. It was Parish who would set bone-jarring picks that allowed Bird to roam the court freely. In fact, it was Parish who carried the Celtics in the first half to 48-43 lead, scoring 21 points. But he was on the bench with five fouls when the Celtics fell behind, 69-59, and Bird made his run.

Bird led Boston on a spurt that pared the deficit to 83-82 and then the fun began. Parish came in to give Bird a one-minute rest early in the final period. Then, when Parish returned with 6:48 left, Bird immediately used two picks to hit a pair of jump shots that enabled Boston to push a one-point lead to 99-94, and Portland never got any closer than five points after that. "They were running plays for me," said Bird, eagerly willing to share the credit with his teammates, "and I knew I had Robert picking for me. I knew if I didn't have the open shot, I could drop it down to him. Things started going my way, and I kept shooting.

"A lot of people think you can come off a pick, get yourself together and make the basket. But it is the pick that makes the shot." Purists could revel in this two-man show. Sometimes it was a simple pick and roll. Other times, Parish found a wide-open Bird, who has learned never to stop looking for the ball when it goes inside to the big Celtic center. "Once you have a big man who can move like Robert," says Bird, "you've got to go to him and you also have got to use him to take the pressure off yourself. "He's the guy you have to get the ball to if you want to have success, because he's our big scorer down low. But once you give it to him, you've got to move, because you might get it back. One way I can repay him is to give him some easy baskets."

The Blazers got their big third-quarter lead with a 1-3-1 trap, principally because Gerald Henderson was in foul trouble. But as Parish pointed out, it is dangerous to depend on it too long with a Bird on the floor. "He can beat you in a lot of ways," said Parish, "not just scoring. He sets up teammates with his passing and rebounding, things like that. We wanted to make them pay the price inside. But Larry had the hot hand, so all we wanted to do was score, and he was doing a good job of that. "Our guards have geen shooting very well," Parish continued, "and teams can't double-team inside. Larry becomes a plus and, when he has his outside going, teams really have trouble."

The Trail Blazers played for three quarters like a team that will be heard from around playoff time. But most of them had to admit that they don't see many players like a Larry Bird, who can ignite a team. "We could pressure them and force turnovers and run the floor while the Celtics were missing," said Mychal Thompson. "But when a guy like Bird gets on one of those rolls, there is not much you can do." Blazer coach Jack Ramsay echoed the thoughts. His club had overcome a first half of defensive lapses, allowing the Celtics several times to sneak away for easy baskets. But he said there is little defense for a man who takes the game into his own hands.

"If you want to give the game ball to anyone," said Ramsay, "give it to Larry Bird. He makes everyone else better. He was almost a whole team tonight. He made everything happen. You get so concerned with him that other people get open, and he finds them." Bird said he appreciated the praise but didn't think his club played all that well. "We should have had them down by more at halftime," he said. "We had two opportunites to blow it open and never did get the momentum. "In the second half, we just fell apart for a time. It takes a total team effort when you get get down by 10, not just one or two individuals. We had a whole team pointed in one direction, and the defense was tougher down the stretch."

Fundamentals Have Been Key to Celtics' Success

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Record: 9-1
11/16/1983

Win nine in a row and everybody starts talking about pride, tradition and happy ballplayers, but the Celtics are winning because they are shooting and rebounding exceptionally well. The Green took a nine-game win streak into Utah's Salt Palace last night. Two important statistics explained the streak: the Celtics were outrebounded only once in their first 10 ballgames, and Boston led the league with a .534 shooting percentage after Tuesday night's 140-124 victory over the Nuggets in Denver.

The Celtics shot 59 percent against Doug Moe's track team, including 67 percent (16 for 24) in the first quarter and 76 percent (16-21) in the third. Kevin McHale, who had 24 points and converted 10 of 13 floor shots, said, "We can't expect to keep this shooting pace, but we've always shot around 50 percent since I've been here. Basically, I think the reason we've been shooting so well is because of our shot selection. Also, our new offense allows us to really establish our inside game, while the guards have been getting better percentage shots."

McHale (98 points in the last four games) appears to have benefited most from the new offensive wrinkles. He shot a white-hot 64 percent in the first 10 games, including 76 percent (38-50) in his last four games. "Kevin's hit a very high average, and so has Robert (Parish, 59 percent)," noted Celtics coach K. C. Jones. "We've been getting a lot of transition baskets off our fast break, which naturally helps, but it's got to level off. Shooting is one of those unknown aspects of the game that you really have no control over."

The Celtics trailed the Nuggets only once. Denver held a one-point lead late in the first quarter, but Boston led at all the stops. Larry Bird had a triple-double (28 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists), Gerald Henderson scored a season-high 21 points, and Parish had 13 rebounds and 18 points. The Celtics opened up a 120-102 lead before Kiki Vandeweghe (38 points) took over, scoring 10 straight in a 12-0 Denver run. Denver got within five once after that, but Bird, McHale and Parish wouldn't let the lead slip away. The victory gave the Celtics their best start since 1959-60, when they were 11-1 after 12 games.

MISC

Going into last night's action, the Celtics had accounted for 19 percent (5 of 26) of all NBA road victories . . . Robert Parish had 38 rebounds in the last three games . . . Larry Bird, who suffered a sprained left ankle and a hip bruise in Denver, was 0 for 9 on three-point tries for the season . . . Most of the Celtics were laughing at a column by a Denver Post sportswriter. The column insisted that Denver's T. R. Dunn had effectively slammed the door on Bird - "Dunn neutralized the Birdman of Boston." Dunn held Bird to 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Wonder what Larry would have done without Dunn on him? To his credit, Dunn is only 6 feet 4 and played 46 minutes . . . Ex-BYU greats Danny Ainge and Greg Kite were honored at halftime last night . . . Celtics assistant coach Chris Ford was in Philadelphia last night, scouting the Sixers and Knicks. The Celtics, who have played 7 of 11 on the road thus far, host the Knicks tomorrow night and travel to Philly for Holy War No. 1 Saturday night . . . The rumor mill has Seattle's David Thompson going to the Atlanta Hawks . . . In case you were wondering, it was 24 years ago today when Syracuse's Connie Dierking fouled out in the first quarter of a game against Cincinnati.

Celtics Make It 8 Straight (8-1)

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 116, Bulls 101
Record: 8-1
11/13/1983

CHICAGO

Playing like a team intent on impressing the bowl committees, the Celtics made it eight in a row last night, goring the Chicago Bulls, 116-101, in Chicago's archaic sports palace.The streak matches Boston's longest victory string of last season and puts the Celtics on a 73-9 pace. Easy, now. It's a little early to be ordering banner No. 15, and there's no need to have the new mayor leave an open date for a City Hall Plaza victory reception in June. After all, the Celtics have thus far only played one game against a 1982-83 playoff team.

Victory No. 8 came on a night when Kevin McHale led the team with 24 and Dennis Johnson (23) played like the man who was the NBA playoff MVP in 1979. And Larry Bird got another audition playing shooting guard while rookie Carlos Clark saw his first meaningful minutes as a professional. It was also an altogether different victory route for the Celtics, who've been smoking their opponents in the first quarter, then blowing leads. Last night, Boston trailed early, then slowly built a comfortable margin, which didn't peak until the final buzzer.

"We played well at the end, and that's kind of a new thing," noted McHale, who made 10 of 12 floor shots. "Chris (Ford) wants us to go 81-1, but that might be asking too much. We'll just have to keep on playing hard and good things will happen." The visitors were stale at the start. Chicago's David Greenwood and Orlando Woolridge (17 in the first half) shot the Bulls to a 17-8 lead before the startled Celtics went on a nine-minute tear, outscoring the home team, 31-10, to take a 39-27 lead with less than two minutes gone in the second quarter. Boston never trailed again.

"We started off in the mud," said coach K. C. Jones. "Chicago was playing like they hadn't been in a game in three weeks. They were hungry and were blowing us away." It didn't last because Dennis Johnson (19 in the first half) brought the Celtics back with sticky defense and penetration drives. Meanwhile, Robert Parish (19, 13 rebounds) stayed hot, and Bird (18, nine rebounds) picked up the loose pieces.

Boston's lead swelled to 13 (55-42) with 3 minutes left in the half, but Woolridge brought Chicago back, scoring eight points in a 13-4 surge. The Celtics' margin was down to six when D. J. converted a Bird feed in the closing seconds to make it 61-55 at intermission. The Celtics outrebounded Chicago, 27-17, in the first half and 49-31 overall. Boston had a whopping 22 offensive rebounds. In a choppy third quarter, Quintin Dailey (20) brought the Bulls back to within three a couple of times, while Jones experimented with a backcourt of M. L. Carr and Clark, then Bird and Clark. Clark held his own for a couple of minutes, started to struggle, and was mercifully rescued by Quinn Buckner. Meanwhile, both McHale and Cedric Maxwell picked up their fourth fouls and had to come out.

The Celtics led, 88-79, after three, and held their ground in the fourth. Chicago had some luck with a 1-3-1 trap defense, but Gerald Henderson and Danny Ainge beat the zone late in the game, and the treetop trio of Bird, Parish and McHale wore the Bulls down. When Boston went ahead by 11 with 8 minutes left, Bulls coach Kevin Loughery inserted Nowhere Man Reggie Theus. The crowd implored Mr. Solid Gold Dancer to shoot, but Theus kept passing off, and his teammates kept missing. Meanwhile, Parish and Bird buried a couple of jumpers to make it 102-89 with 5:28 left. Loughery called for time. He had seen enough of Theus, who has scored only two baskets in his last two games.

When Chicago again pulled to within eight, the Celtics were ready to respond. They continued to beat the trap defense and outscored the Bulls, 12-5, the rest of the way.

Celtics Keep Rolling (7-1)

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 126, Pistons 118
Record: 7-1
11/12/1983

BOSTON

You can find flaws if you look hard enough. The Celtics refuse to bury opponents. They have a philanthropic streak that inspires them to let beaten teams back into ballgames. They also have yet to score 140 points or hold an opponent under 60. While we're at it, let's mention that Brooke Shields could use a few pounds, and that it would be nice if Michael Jackson would learn the slide trombone.

The Green Team's giddy glide through November continued at Boston Garden last night. On the strength of a 39-point performance by Larry Joe Bird, the Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons, 126-118, avenging their opening night beating in the Silverdome and extending their winning streak to seven games. They did all of this on the strength of a 45-31 first quarter in which they vaporized the visitors, hitting 19 of 24 floor shots.

The margin was down to 12 at the half, and Detroit actually took a one- point lead in the third, but Bird, Robert Parish (28, 12 rebounds) and Kevin McHale (23, 12 rebounds) refused to crumble to the Detroit wheels this time. Boston's treetop trio combined for a whopping 90 points and 32 rebounds while hitting 35 of 52 floor shots (67 percent). "They played like they want to win a world championship," said Detroit coach Chuck Daly. "Bird had a classic game, and they just ran it down our throats. They had revenge on their minds."

Bird was particularly accurate. Playing both forward and guard, he had 16 in the first quarter, 22 at halftime and 33 after three periods. When Kelly (Scarface) Tripucka (26 points) led the Pistons back into it, Bird and his sidekicks, Parish and McHale, were there to answer. "When you get in trouble, you want to go with your power, especially down the stretch," said Celtic coach K.C. Jones. "That's why we went with Larry in the backcourt and kept trying to get the ball down low." The fourth-quarter surge should have been for the benefit of Greg and Carlos Clark. Boston's first-half explosion should have buried the Pistons.

Gerald Henderson scored 11 in the first six minutes as the Celtics burst to a 27-12 lead. Think about that: 27 points in six minutes would mean 216 points in 48 minutes. When the quarter was over, the Celts led, 45-31, and already had three players in double figures. "All around, I'd say it was our best quarter of the season," said Parish. Detroit's Isiah Thomas (27, eight assists) didn't get untracked until the second quarter. His running mate, Tripucka, waited until the second half, but had an excuse. He suffered a 10-stitch cut Tuesday and wore goggles throughout the first quarter. Tripucka was no Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with goggles. His game improved markedly when he discarded the protection.

A Scott Wedman jumper before halftime gave the Celtics their biggest lead, 67-50. Detroit trimmed the deficit to a dozen by intermission and roared to a short-lived lead in the third quarter. The Celtics were at their giveaway worst in the opening minutes of the third. Boston players stood around and admired Thomas and Co. for six minutes after halftime. In that stretch, Detroit outscored Boston, 21-9, and when Tripucka hit a jumper from the left corner, Detroit had its only lead, 80-79, with 6:03 left in the third.

Parish got the lead back on a followup, the start of a 6-0 Celtic run. A jumper out top by Bird made it 85-80. With Bird and Parish taking charge, the Celts went on another roll and managed to push their lead back to 102-89 by the end of the quarter. In the fourth, Detroit got to within six with 3:48 left, but McHale responded with three consecutive baskets to give the Celtics a 122-110 lead and the ballgame. "We've been losing leads like this all season long," noted Bird, who had 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks to go along with his 39 points. "Hopefully we won't keep doing it in the future. "If we were playing a team like Philadelphia, Milwaukee or New York, we wouldn't be so lucky," he said. "It seems that when we have a lead, we have lapses on defense and they come back on us."

Celtics (5-1) Edge Pacers on Parish Buzzer-Beater

1983-84 Boston Celtics
Celtics 99, Pacers 97
Record: 5-1
11/9/1983

Once more a winner in his Hoosier Hoop Holy Land, Larry Bird embraced Robert Parish the way baseball pitchers jump into catchers' arms after the final out of the World Series. Could this have been merely a November victory over the Indiana Pacers? Indeed. With time running out and the score tied, 97-97, Kevin McHale missed his patented turnaround jumper. Parish fought for the rebound, and shoveled the ball into the basket. The buzzer sounded and the Celtics were 99-97 winners. Bird looked like Rick Dempsey, leaping into Parish's arms while a numbstruck 14,935 watched in silent fury.

"I was fighting their guy (Steve Stipanovich) for it," said Parish (16 points, 11 rebounds). "I tipped it, then he tipped it, then I was able to come up with the ball. I wasn't even trying to make the shot. I just threw it up on the glass and it kind of hung there for a while before it fell through." The dramatic final seconds somewhat obscured another virtuoso Indiana performance by Bird, not to mention Herb Williams' 32-point (14 in the final period) effort for the Pacers.

Their fifth straight triumph gave the Celtics the best record in basketball and reaffirmed the suspicion that for all the wealth and fame his game has brought him, nothing makes Larry Joe Bird happier than playing well for the folks back home. "It means more to me to win here," admitted Bird. "I think I want the ball more and the guys know that. It's just a great feeling to play well here. I definitely don't want to let anybody down."

He didn't. In addition to seven assists and nine rebounds, Bird scored 26 points, including 14 in the pivotal third quarter when it looked like the Celtics had put away the pesky Pacers. Remember that Bird averaged 32 in five games against Indiana last year (including a 53-point game for the ages) and had 31 in last Friday's Garden party against Indiana.

The game had been tied 18 times in the first half, when neither team had led by more than four. Then Bird led the Celts to a 30-16 third-quarter advantage. He scored four quick ones and had two steals and two assists as the Celts opened the third with a 10-2 run to take a 60-52 lead. The Pacers closed to within six, before Bird resumed his show. Sir Larry canned two free throws and two more bombs, then fed Gerald Henderson for a bucket to complete an 8-0 run that made it 70-56. The 14-point lead held up through three (80-66) when Bird found Danny Ainge underneath before the buzzer.

With Williams doing a reasonable impersonation of Elgin Baylor, Indiana worked its way back into the ballgame at the start of the fourth. As Bird turned cold, Williams took charge, scoring 10 straight and 12 of 14 for the Pacers. The Celtics' lead melted. Williams hit a jump hook over McHale with 1:29 left, pulling Indiana to within one (96-95). With 1:02 left, the Celts called time. After the pause, Bird missed a bomb, Williams rebounded, but Clark Kellogg (22 points) was called for traveling with 42 seconds left.

McHale was fouled by Williams and missed his first free throw. He made the second to make it 97-95, and the Pacers called time with 32 seconds left. Kellogg tied it with a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left. It was the first tie since 50-50 at the half. Boston called time. The final play set up McHale's errant turnaround. "Mine was supposed to go in," said McHale, laughing. "Actually, it was an easy shot for me." It missed, but Parish was there to do the rest. When the ball went in, Bird did his World Series re-enactment.

What is Robert Parish Doing?

1983-84 Boston Celtics

Robert Parish is wrong.

Parish is an All-Star center, one of the four best pivotmen in the NBA. He is more valuable to the Celtics than Kevin McHale, and it is understandably difficult for Parish to accept his $650,000 per year when McHale is raking in a cool $1 million.

Too bad.

Parish is wrong because in exchange for five years of guaranteed security, he promised to play for the Celtics. He has broken that promise. He has three years remaining on his five-year contract and he is sitting home while the Celtics are playing in Phoenix. His agent, Wayne Traynham, said 10 days ago that Parish believed in the sanctity of a contract. Apparently, Parish changed his mind.

It is certainly unfair that Parish's contract is not commensurate with McHale's, but Parish should have foreseen the possibility when he signed a five-year deal. An unofficial sports axiom of these times is that whoever signs the last contract gets the best deal. If Parish had been willing to gamble on his health, he could have signed a two-year pact and been a free agent last spring. He didn't. He wanted security. He signed a five-year contract and was very happy with it.

Obviously, Parish thinks a contract is a one-way street. If he had ruined his left knee in the first scrimmage after signing the five-year pact, would he have been willing to let the Celtics re-negotiate his contract? If he had been seriously injured, would Parish have offered to refund some of his money because of the unfairness of the situation? No! And he wouldn't be expected to.

It would have been nice if the Celtics had willingly opened their vault for Parish after the McHale signing, but the team is under no obligation to do so. Since Parish's first threat, the Celtics claim to have made a serious effort to appease Parish with an extension of his present pact. Unimpressed with the effort, Parish dug in his heels Friday night. He and Traynham have the Celtics in a bind. The team has invested millions in McHale, Bird, Dennis Johnson, etc., and Boston fans expect a championship effort. Without Parish, the picture changes. The Celts can't hope to beat Philadelphia and Los Angeles without a first-rate center.

Assistant general manager Jan Volk and owner Alan Cohen say there will be no negotiating while Parish holds out. Unless Parish returns on his own (a nice idea), the Celtics must satisfy his demands, trade him or let him sit and stew. It's a classic showdown. Would you rather win on principle, or on the basketball floor? Here's a vote for principle.

Parish AWOL

1983-84 Boston Celtics

Robert Parish may have decided to sit out until his contract is either renegotiated or extended. Parish was not on the Celtics' flight from Boston to Phoenix last night and did not call coach K.C. Jones with any explanation.

"He will be fined," said Jones. "We'll have to find out what the reasons are. I'm only guessing, but I think it's the contract. That's between him and Red Auerbach."

Parish had said he would sit out training camp unless his contract (with three years remaining at $650,000 per year) was renegotiated. His new agent, Wayne Traynham, later softened the stand and said that Parish would report if the Celtics were willing to talk about something other than a renegotiation.

Parish reportedly gave the Celtics one week to satisfy his demand.