NBA : Bird Makes His Points (and Three-Pointers) as 76ers Fall

On Super Sunday, superstar Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics had a super game.

“When they needed hoops, he was there--shooting or making the pass or doing something,” Philadelphia Coach Billy Cunningham said after Bird and the Celtics snapped the 76ers’ 13-game winning streak.

Bird scored 38 points, including 12 in the last 4 1/2 minutes, grabbed 9 rebounds, collected 4 assists, blocked 3 shots and had 2 steals as the Celtics rolled to a 113-97 National Basketball Assn. victory in a renewal of an old rivalry.

“You just hope he doesn’t completely dominate the game,” Cunningham said. “In the three games we’ve played this season, he has been great. He has hit all the baskets that they needed. I don’t know if any one person can stop Larry Bird.”

“He has fantastic imagination and creativity,” Boston Coach K.C. Jones said. “The shots are there, the offensive rebounds, the defensive rebounds--what more can you ask?

“With all that Larry is doing, he still goes to the boards, and that is energy-draining stuff. So if he wants to take a three-pointer, that’s fine.”

And, in the closing minutes, Bird killed the 76er hopes with a pair of three-point bombs from the corner.

“I struggled early in the game,” said Bird, who had 6 points in the first period, 10 in the second, 6 in the third and 16 in the fourth. “I missed some shots early, but after the first quarter I settled down.

“I think we proved we can beat the 76ers. They’re a great team, but we won.”

While improving their home record to 18-1, the Celtics regained the best record in the NBA, less than 48 hours after falling behind the 76ers in an upset at Indiana. Boston has a 34-7 record. Philadelphia is 33-7.

The game, on national television, was played without incident in Philadelphia’s first Boston Garden appearance since a brawl-marred encounter here last Nov. 9. In that game, Bird and Philadelphia star Julius Erving were ejected for fighting.

Kevin McHale and Cedric Maxwell had 17 points each for Boston. Danny Ainge and Dennis Johnson had 14.

The 76ers were led by Moses Malone with 20 points, Erving with 17 and Charles Barkley with 16.