Rookie McHale Helps Cool Off Blazers

 January 5, 1981

CELTICS ONLY TEAM NOT TO LOSE TWO STRAIGHT

PORTLAND, Ore.

The Celtics ended a highly successful perambulation through the highways, byways, airports, coffee shops and hostile arenas of America by hanging on grimly last night for a 120-111 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Dream Come True for #32

June 11, 1980

Kevin McHale blew into the Boston Garden yesterday with a Music Man-type fervor that had everybody in the room eagerly awaiting Opening Night.

"I'm elated," he declared. "Boston is a team where I can fit in without a lot of pressure. And it'll be nice playing with The Bird."

Battle of the .800 Teams

January 29, 1981

When a couple of teams are playing over .800 ball this far into an NBA season, it's only natural to examine the seasons enjoyed by the all-time percentage champions in NBA history for a comparison. In other words, what are the chances of either the 76ers or Celtics to flirt with basketball immortality at the end of this regular season?

Entering last night's game the 76ers had a 44-9 record. Billy Cunningham's team had suffered through one rough week during which they lost three games in a row out on the West Coast. The Celtics, meanwhile, came in with a 42-9 record. Remarkably, the Boston team has yet to drop even two games in a row, let alone three. No NBA team has ever gone through an entire season without losing two in a row at least once.

Here is a look at some other big NBA seasons:

At 22-8, C's May have Righted the Ship

December 1980

CELTIC RECORD GOES UNNOTICED

One of the problems with being five-and-a-half games out of first place is that people tend to forget how well you're playing.

As Philadelphia continues its rendezvous with whatever destiny lies in store for it (such as 65 or more wins), the Celtics are the league's most unnoticed titan. Their 22-8 record happens to be the fourth best record in the league. Aside from Philadelphia only Phoenix (25-8) and Milwaukee (24-9) have better records.

SLOPPY CELTICS BOW TO SIXERS

February 5, 1981

PHILADELPHIA

What this game proved, beyond all resonable doubt, was that, on any given Wednesday night, even the two best teams can screw up an NBA game as much as Detroit and Dallas.

Like, ugh. Like, yuk. Like, forget the individual loyalties of the paying customer - how could any of the sellout Spectrum crowd of 18,276 be excoriated if he or she chose never to darken the doorway of an NBA arena again?

Two Centers, 48 Minutes, Two Rebounds

October 15, 1980

Add this to the list of reasons why the Celtics were so distraught over not walking away from the Omni with a win last night: The victorious Hawks committed 12 turnovers in the first period alone . . . Robert Parish did a lot of nice things in his 25-minute stint, scoring a team-high 23 points and blocking three shots. However, he only grabbed one defensive rebound, a figure matched by Rick Robey in his 23 minutes of action. Two defensive rebounds by the starting centers just won't cut it . . . Larry Bird struggled badly en route to a 19-point evening. He shot 5 for 19 and at times his shot looked as confused as Mike Schmidt's Astrodome swings. He is rebounding (10) and passing (17), but he is neither shooting nor playing the type of consistent defense of which he is eminently capable.

Bulls hand Streaking C's an L

January 30, 1981

CELTICS RETURN TO EARTH STREAK ENDS IN CHICAGO; TOUGH ROAD LIES AHEAD

CHICAGO

Tiny Archibald knows better than most that life in the NBA can be a grind. But for him, losing still comes hard.

Moses and Rockets Actually Beat the Celtics

Boston Celtics 96 20-34 (Lost 3) ⇐ Prev Game / Next Game ⇒	Houston Rockets 111 23-35 (Won 2) ⇐ Prev Game / Next Game ⇒
February 21, 1978

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Doc Missed Some Bunnies

January 29, 1981

SO, WHAT DID IT PROVE?

He sat as he always sits, the legs stretched onto the locker room floor, the ice bags on each knee. He talked as he always talks, the basketball philosopher, the representitive to the United Nations from the only country governed by a 24-second clock. The man of basketball dignity. The man of basketball reason. The Doctor.

"The shots at the end," Julius Erving said. "Let me see, the shots at the end . . ."

Celtics Move into First Place

January 29, 1981

First place.

When it was all over, when the Celtics had somehow survived their own self-destruct instincts in the final two minutes, when the final moment of drama in this grueling struggle between basketball's two best teams was finally history, the Celtics had a new, and comfortable, Atlantic Division address: first place.

They got there by virtue of a thrilling, chilling, put-your-hands-over- your- eyes 104-101 triumph over the proud Philadelphia 76ers last night before 15,320 at Boston Garden. And so with a 43-9 record, the Celtics now own an .827 percentage. The 76ers are left to stew in their 44-10, .815 juices.

Make that 25 of 26, as C's Dump Atlantic Rival Sixers

January 29, 1981

CELTICS TOP SIXERS FOR 25TH WIN IN 26 TRIES

Next week, after a rematch in Philadelphia, it may be a different story. But, for now, the challenge has been met. The Celtics have conquered the 76ers and have climbed to the top of the ladder in the NBA's Atlantic Division.

"I think we're both pretty good basketball teams," said Julius Erving, whose 35 points weren't enough to prevent the Celtics from accomplishing their 104-101 victory last night, which was their 13th in a row and 25th in the last 26 games.

It's Showtime for another Celtics-Sixers Tilt

January 28, 1981

Will it be "Gone With The Wind," or "Heaven's Gate?" Will it be a glorious seven-layer cake, or a mess in the bottom of the oven? Can it possibly be what the fans and media want it to be? If anticipation could guarantee the quality of a basketball game, tonight's long-awaited Boston Garden confrontation between the 44-9 Philadelphia 76ers and the 42-9 Boston Celtics (Ch. 4, 7:30) will be a cross between the Phoenix Triple OT and the 1957 St. Louis Double OT. Long before the Thanksgiving turkey hit the table, Garden regulars had circled Jan. 28 on their calendars, avoiding appointments, postponing winter vacations and advising certain women that taxiing to the hospital with labor pains wouldn't be so horrifying.

CELTICS SAY BRING ON THE 76ERS, AFTER WINNING FOR 24TH TIME IN 25 TRIES

January 26, 1981

The Celtics are either fashioning the best streak this franchise has witnessed in eight years or engaging in the world's longest exhibition season. In other words, you can put that Darryl Dawkins dartboard up on the wall, folks; Philadelphia finally is coming to town.

Make that 23 out of 24 Thanks to Dudley Bradley

January 24, 1981

The Celtics are still alive thanks to their new sixth man'. The only way that Dudley Bradley could have made two free throws with no time remaining would have been if he had nerves of steel and was completely deaf.

With a crowd of 15,320 screaming in his ears, Bradley made only one of three free throws and thus the Celtics were able to escape with a 104-103 victory last night, extending their winning streak to 11 in a row. Larry Bird had 32 points to lead Boston. But it was he who committed an apparently costly foul at the buzzer with Boston leading, 104-102.

C's Make 22 out of 23 behind Bird's Triple Double

CELTICS POST 22ND WIN IN 23 GAMES

M.L. Carr returned to the Celtics' lineup for the first time after 41 games on the sidelines and helped them to an easy 117-87 victory over the Utah Jazz last night before a sellout of l5,320 at the Garden.

Larry Bird led the way with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

The 30-point victory margin was the widest of the year for the Celtics.

Jabbar vs. Parish: It was Pivotal

January 19, 1981

The game was brought to you straight from turnover heaven. It was a grocery bag filled with errant passes, traveling violations and mental miscues. Here they come downcourt . . . whoops . . . there they go back the other way . . . look out, here they come back again.

Lakers' Coach Westhead Calls Loss a Piece of Art

January 19, 1981

CELTICS GET LAST BREAK, WIN, 98-96

Paul Westhead labeled the game a "piece of art," but the Laker mentor might have gone further and declared it a masterpiece had Jamaal Wilkes made one more shot.

What Might Have Been for the visitors from Tinsel Land was a 21-foot baseline jumper that spun out of the basket with two seconds left, enabling the Celtics to preserve yesterday afternoon's 98-96 triumph before 15,320 fortunate ticket holders, not to mention a national television audience. There was even a What Might Have Been II as well, because the Lakers insisted that there were at least two Boston fouls in the rebound scramble precipitated by the Wilkes miss.

C's Nip Magicless Lakers

January 19, 1981

CELTICS TOP LAKERS

Larry Bird was one of the last Celtics to leave the locker room yesterday. The 98-96 victory over the Lakers had been a meaningful one for a lot of reasons. One more hurdle that has been bugging him and his teammates had been cleared.

Lakers Still Have Some Guns

January 17, 1981

THE GARDEN'S BIG WEEKEND CELTICS VS. LAKERS

The Lakers still lack the Magic Touch, but they are the World Champions, they still have the Big Guy and when they enter the Garden tomorrow afternoon (Chs. 6 and 38, 1 p.m.) it will be an Event.

Celtics v. Lakers? Yes. Bird v. Magic? No.

January 18, 1981

IT'S NOT MAGIC, BUT CELTICS VS. LAKERS STILL SPECIAL

We know this much: it sure isn't going to be "Bird vs. Magic."

That was always going to be the grand design when the Celtics played the Lakers, wasn't it? But when Los Angeles takes the floor this afternoon at the Garden to play the Celtics (1 p.m., Chs. 6 and 38, WBZ) the Lakers will be playing their 29th consecutive game without their precocious floor leader, power rebounder, clutch scorer, master improvisor and all-around Mr. Fixit, Earvin (Magic) Johnson.