Bird Back in Boston, Won’t Face Lakers

The Boston Celtics’ Larry Bird, bothered recently by problems in his lower back, won’t play tonight or Saturday night in the Celtics’ exhibition games against the Lakers at the Forum.

Bird flew back to Boston from Indianapolis Wednesday morning for treatment. He injured his back in August when he was jogging on a golf course.

Although the Celtics do not believe Bird’s injury to be serious, he played for only nine minutes Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers before removing himself from the game.

Bird, who sat out an entire game Monday night, has played just 29 minutes in the Celtics’ last four exhibitions, all in the opening periods.

Bird’s injury, which was diagnosed at first as muscle spasms, is not expected to keep him out of Boston’s season opener Oct. 26 against the New Jersey Nets at East Rutherford, N.J.

Laker Notes Both Laker General Manager Jerry West and Tom Collins, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s agent, said that Abdul-Jabbar’s $2-million contract extension for the 1986-87 season should be signed before the Lakers leave for San Antonio to start the regular season Oct. 27. . . . Laker Coach Pat Riley said that without Bird, the Celtics might learn something about Scott Wedman and Sly Williams. “(Bird’s injury) is going to give them both some (playing) time,” Riley said. “You know what Bird can do, but you don’t know what those guys can do blending in the whole game.” . . . Rookie guard Dexter Shouse, a fourth-round Laker draft choice, was put on waivers Wednesday, which meant that the Lakers are now just one over the 12-player roster limit. It also meant that Larry Spriggs and Chuck Nevitt are fighting for the 12th spot. . . . Saturday night’s Laker-Celtic game is a sellout, the first time that’s ever happened in the exhibition season at the Forum, and tonight’s game is close to a sellout. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.