Fitch Returns to Da Gahden

June 1986

BOSTON — Bill Fitch is back in Boston Garden. He is down on one knee again on the sidelines, wearing that same mournful expression and still talking about the need for discipline, one of his favorite subjects. "First, there is enforced discipline," Fitch said. "It's like training tigers. You've got to crack the whip. This is, after all, an animalistic sport. "Then you get to a point where you let it go. My Houston players may feel I've mellowed because I don't holler at them as much as I did before. But you don't holler at them if they're doing it right . You don't have to crack the whip any longer."

Ainge on the Bill Fitch Years

Celtics coach Bill Fitch was a Gerald Henderson believer who didn't have a whole lot of use for Ainge.

"They'd diagram a play and I'd always be out on the side somewhere or stuck at halfcourt with Cedric Maxwell," Ainge said. "There'd be three options on the play: Larry (Bird), Robert (Parish) and Dennis (Johnson). If Kevin (McHale) was in there'd be four. But never Max. Never me. It was a three- or four-man offense and I wasn't part of it."

After that 1983 playoff sweep, the Celtics and Fitch had reached the end of the line. K.C. Jones was the replacement, and it wasn't long before Ainge's career blossomed under him. After Henderson was traded to Seattle in 1984, Ainge's playing time and performance improved dramatically. He became the starter alongside Johnson in the backcourt, and soon was a master at spotting up for the 3-pointer. The breakthrough came during the 1986-87 season when he fired away to the tune of .443 (85-for-192) from 3-pointland, outshooting Bird.

Fitch Playing 4 Bigs at a Time

November 29, 1980
The Boston Celtics, playing their big men in various combinations, overwhelmed the Knicks, 120-106, tonight before a capacity crowd of 15,320 at the Boston Garden.

Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Rick Robey, Larry Bird and Cedric Maxwell came at the Knicks in droves as the Celtics won the eighth of their last nine games and improved their season mark to 15-6. Bill Fitch, the Celtic coach, used his big men two, three and four at a time and they had one aim: pass the ball inside for layups. And they succeeded. 

Fitch Deploys "Four Bigs and Archibald" Strategy

 

November 29, 1980

The Boston Celtics, playing their big men in various combinations, overwhelmed the Knicks, 120-106, tonight before a capacity crowd of 15,320 at the Boston Garden.

Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Rick Robey, Larry Bird and Cedric Maxwell came at the Knicks in droves as the Celtics won the eighth of their last nine games and improved their season mark to 15-6. Bill Fitch, the Celtic coach, used his big men two, three and four at a time and they had one aim: pass the ball inside for layups. And they succeeded.