Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site decwrl.DEC.COM Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-celica!fredrickson From: fredrickson@celica.DEC Newsgroups: net.sport.hoops Subject: Celtics: 15 going on 16? Message-ID: <1215@decwrl.DEC.COM> Date: Tue, 18-Feb-86 15:18:00 EST Article-I.D.: decwrl.1215 Posted: Tue Feb 18 15:18:00 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 19-Feb-86 23:36:10 EST Sender: daemon@decwrl.DEC.COM Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 105 A mere three weeks after suffering through the Super Bowl, New Englanders were treated to as delightful a Sunday afternoon as the NBA schedule could possibly offer in February. Although we must take great care not to overrate the importance of regular-season games, the Celtics have undeniably reclaimed whatever psychological edge the Lakers held after last year's finals. The NBA's jinx on defending champions seems to have LA by the throat. Boston's 105-99 win in the Forum was accomplished without Kevin McHale. Were it not for a sensational performance by James Worthy, the game would have been a repeat of the Celts' blowout earlier in Boston (when they led by 23 in the fourth quarter before winning by 15). Worthy was LA's only second-half offense. Like McHale, Worthy is the ultimate matchup nightmare -- the guy the opposition can't figure out how to defend. These two teams are so far above the rest of the league that only major injuries will keep them from meeting in the finals for the third year in a row. By major, I mean the only way the Lakers won't reach the finals is without Jabbar (even then they might) and the only way for the Celts to fail to get there would be without Bird. Unless Houston, Denver (I don't care that they're 3-1 vs. LA), Philly or Milwaukee finds a way to improve itself dramatically between now and the playoffs, I believe Boston and LA could absorb the loss of any other single player. A few choice morsels from Dan Shaughnessy's game story in Monday's Boston Globe: Since Christmas, Boston is 20-2 and LA is 15-10. LA has not scored 100 points in either game against Boston; they have scored 100 or more in 46 of their other 50 games. They scored 12 fast-break points yesterday. Magic Johnson, who didn't have a single rebound in the earlier game in Boston, didn't have a field goal yesterday. Jabbar (two points in the fourth quarter) "again appeared very much intimidated by Mr. Bill Walton." Boston's bench outscored LA's bench in the two games, 62-53 -- an unheard-of feat a year ago. Jabbar: "It was an important game for us to have won. If we had, we would have proved we were on a par with them. Now there is no reason for anyone to perceive us as a favorite." Magic: "Right now Boston is a much better team." Having swept their two regular-season meetings, both rather convincingly, I believe Boston has established several things: 1. They positively out-maneuvered LA in the offseason, adding Bill Walton, Jerry Sichting and David Thirdkill while the Lakers added Maurice Lucas (Sam Vincent and A.C. Green are inconsequential right now). Lucas' absence on Sunday (6 minutes) was a mystery. Walton makes an immense difference in this rivalry, if for no other reason than forcing the aging Jabbar to contend with a fresh, all-star-caliber center for four quarters. 2. With the above moves, Boston appears to have eliminated their biggest weakness -- the bench. 3. As was pointed out numerous times by the CBS announcers, the old tried-and-true way to beat the Celts -- sagging down and giving the outside shot -- is history. Even with Danny Ainge in a miserable shooting slump (which, if it continues much longer, will bring Sichting into the starting lineup), the Celts possess a variety of long-range weapons: Bird, DJ, Scott Wedman, Sichting and even Rick Carlisle Sunday. If that shooting causes teams to come out play some honest defense, McHale, Parish and Walton will have a field day with man-to-man coverage inside. 4. They will have the home-court advantage, but with the 2-3-2 format it's questionable who really has the advantage. You absolutely HAVE to win those first two at home. As we saw last year, when the Celts could only split at home, it's almost impossible to expect a team to win two out of three on the other coast. It is, of course, too soon to project what will happen in May and June. When I look down LA's roster I still get frightened by the talent -- guys like Cooper, McGee, Scott, Kupchak, Lucas. It seems like two or three of them are always in the dog house or in a slump or something. Byron Scott was awful Sunday. I thought last year he was a future superstar, and now he's not even starting. Everyone agrees they need muscle, yet Riley always goes back to his greyhounds when the game's on the line. This is an unfair time to analyze the Lakers, though. They are in the midst of the midseason doldrums which plague everyone, especially teams that don't have pennant races to worry about. I have little doubt they will be in far better shape when it counts. Still, the midseason assessment yields this: If the finals were to begin tomorrow, Boston would win it in five, perhaps even four, games. Mark Fredrickson