NBA Preview : Celtics Are One Boston Team Hoping for a Sort of Met Miracle

The question is getting as old as Red Auerbach.

Can the (fill in the blank) repeat as National Basketball Assn. champion?

The Lakers became the 16th consecutive defending champion to fail, losing to the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference final last season.

When the 1986-87 NBA season opens Friday, the Boston Celtics will begin their quest to become the first team since the 1968-69 Celtics to win consecutive titles.

If the Mets can turn the clock back to 1969 by winning the World Series, maybe Larry Bird and the Celtics can, too.

Standing in Boston’s way appear to be injuries and age. The Celtics, who brought just 13 players to training camp, already have three injured.

Bill Walton, who has yet to play two consecutive injury-free seasons, broke his left little finger in an informal workout before camp opened. That is healed now, but he also suffered a sprained right ankle in practice two weeks ago. He was examined in Los Angeles by Dr. Tony Daly last week and may miss the Celtics’ season opener against the Washington Bullets Friday night at the Boston Garden.

Guard Danny Ainge was hurt in an exhibition game Oct. 17 when he was kneed in the lower back by Houston’s Craig Ehlo while diving for a loose ball. The Celtics aren’t trying to rush him back because the problem may be an aggravation of an old baseball injury.

Backup forward Scott Wedman, still recovering from off-season surgery on his left heel, could start the season on the injured list.

Then there’s age. Bird, the NBA’s most valuable player for the last three seasons, will be 30 in December. Center Robert Parish is 34, guard Dennis Johnson is 32 and Walton is 33.

Bird, at least, seems ready for another great season. He averaged 25 points during the exhibition season, with a high of 36.

After first-round draft pick Len Bias died of a cocaine overdose, the Celtics added just one new player, acquiring forward Fred Roberts from the Utah Jazz.

If the Celtics stood pat, though, there was massive upheaval in the rest if the NBA during the off-season, with trades, coaching and ownership changes.

It may take awhile to get used to all the changes.

Washington, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Detroit and Utah made the biggest trades.

On the night before the draft last June, the 76ers traded the No. 1 pick to Cleveland for forward Roy Hinson and cash. Cleveland used the pick to select 7-foot center Brad Daugherty from North Carolina.

Philadelphia then traded center Moses Malone, forward Terry Catledge, a 1986 No. 1 pick and a 1988 No. 1 pick to Washington for center Jeff Ruland and forward Cliff Robinson.

The Milwaukee Bucks acquired center Jack Sikma and two second-round picks from Seattle for center Alton Lister and two first-round picks.

Utah traded forward Adrian Dantley to Detroit for forwards Kelly Tripucka and Kent Benson. Dantley, two-time NBA scoring champion, had been feuding with Utah Coach Frank Layden.

A team-by-team look at the 1986-87 NBA season:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

PACIFIC DIVISION

LAKERS

Standing: Won Pacific Division title by 22 games with 62-20 record. Lost to Houston in conference final, 4-1.

Coach: Pat Riley (286-113).

Starters: Kurt Rambis, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Byron Scott.

Top reserves: Michael Cooper, A.C. Green (injured), Frank Brickowski.

Top draft pick: Billy Thompson, Louisville.

Outlook: The Lakers failed to reach the league final for the first time since 1981 and their bench has been weakened by the loss of Maurice Lucas, Mitch Kupchak and Larry Spriggs. Abdul-Jabbar, 39, is in great shape, thanks to an off-season conditioning program, but he will probably have to play more than he did last season.

PHOENIX SUNS

Standing: Tied for third (32-50) with Clippers. Didn’t make playoffs for first time in eight seasons.

Coach: John MacLeod (557-509).

Starters: Alvan Adams, Larry Nance, James Edwards, Jay Humphries, Walter Davis.

Top reserves: Ed Pinckney, Mike Sanders.

Top draft pick: William Bedford, Memphis State.

Outlook: The Suns had hoped to start Bedford at center, but he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Oct. 12 and isn’t expected back until Nov. 10. Edwards missed most of the exhibition season with pneumonia. Still, the Suns could be the most improved team in the division.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Standing: Finished second (40-42) for third straight season; lost to Denver in first round, 3-1.

Coach: Mike Schuler (first year).

Starters: Kiki Vandeweghe, Kenny Carr, Sam Bowie, Terry Porter, Clyde Drexler.

Top Reserves: Jim Paxson, Steve Johnson, Jerome Kersey.

Top draft pick: Walter Berry, St. John’s.

Outlook: Portland cleaned house, firing Coach Jack Ramsay after the season and trading forwards Mychal Thompson and Larry Krystowiak to the San Antonio Spurs for forward-center Steve Johnson. Schuler has put more emphasis on defense.

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

Standing: fifth (31-51); missed playoffs

Coach: Bernie Bickerstaff (31-51).

Starters: Tom Chambers, Xavier McDaniel, Alton Lister, Gerald Henderson, Michael Phelps.

Top reserves: Clemon Johnson, Maurice Lucas, Dale Ellis, Terence Stansbury.

Top draft pick: Nate McMillan, North Carolina State.

Outlook: Lister, in the final year of his contract, had threatened to sit out the season unless it was renegotiated. He reported, though, when the club refused to extend it. It may take awhile for Lister, acquired from Milwaukee for Jack Sikma, to blend in.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Standing: Sixth (30-52); haven’t made playoffs since 1977-78.

Coach: George Karl (first season with Warriors, 61-88 in two seasons with Cleveland).

Starters: Purvis Short, Chris Washburn or Larry Smith, Joe Barry Carroll, Eric (Sleepy) Floyd, Chris Mullin.

Top reserves: Jerome Whitehead, Terry Teagle, Greg Ballard.

Top draft pick: Chris Washburn, North Carolina State.

Outlook: The Warriors had the worst road record in the NBA last season (6-35) and ranked last in defense, allowing 116.9 points a game. Karl said the club must make its biggest improvement on defense. Washburn has looked good and may beat out Larry Smith for a starting spot.

CLIPPERS

Standing: Tied for third (32-50) with Phoenix. Missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season.

Coach: Don Chaney (41-62).

Starting lineup: Cedric Maxwell, Kurt Nimphius, Benoit Benjamin, Larry Drew, Marques Johnson.

Top reserves: Michael Cage, Mike Woodson, Rory White.

Top draft pick: Dwayne Polee, Pepperdine.

Outlook: The Clippers went 0-for the exhibition season, losing all six games. Benjamin missed one game because he brought two left shoes, but he looms as the key to the Clippers. If Benjamin can pick up at center where he left off in the second half of the season, the Clippers could be improved. Guard Norm Nixon could miss the entire season at guard with a knee injury. The Clippers also lack depth on their bench. They need an experienced veteran point guard and a backup center.

MIDWEST DIVISION

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Standing: Won division title (51-31); lost to Boston in NBA final, 4-2.

Coach: Bill Fitch (673-638).

Starters: Robert Reid, Lewis Lloyd, Akeem Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson, Rodney McCray.

Top reserves: Jim Petersen, Mitchell Wiggins, Allen Leavell.

Top draft pick: Buck Johnson, Alabama.

Outlook: The Twin Towers were too much for the Lakers last season and the Rockets figure to be even better this time around. They will open against the Lakers Saturday in a nationally televised game. Petersen went to camp late after a holdout but played as if he had never been away. He scored 18 points in his first exhibition game after just one day of practice.

DENVER NUGGETS

Standing: Finished second (47-35); lost to Houston in conference semifinal, 4-2.

Coach: Doug Moe (431-342).

Starters: Alex English, Calvin Natt, Wayne Cooper, Lafayette Lever, T.R. Dunn.

Top reserves: Darrel Walker, Bill Hanzlik, Danny Schayes.

Top draft pick: Maurice (Mo) Martin, St. Joseph’s.

Outlook: The Nuggets, who won the division title in 1984-85, are expected to challenge Houston for the division title this season. The key may be whether Denver can win on the road. Last season the Nuggets won just 13 road games.

DALLAS MAVERKICKS

Standing: Finished third (44-38); lost to Lakers in conference semifinal, 4-2.

Coach: Dick Motta (753-723).

Starters: Mark Aguirre, Sam Perkins, James Donaldson, Derek Harper, Rolando Blackman.

Top reserves: Al Wood, Roy Tarpley, Detlef Schrempf.

Top draft pick: Roy Tarpley, Michigan.

Outlook: The Mavericks have made defense their top priority this season. They ranked second in offense last season, behind the Lakers, averaging 115.3 points a game. But the Mavericks ranked 21st in defense last season, giving up 114.2 points.

UTAH JAZZ

Standing: Finished fourth (42-40); lost to Dallas in the first round of the playoffs, 3-1.

Coach: Frank Layden (175-215).

Starters: Thurl Bailey, Karl Malone, Mark Eaton, John Stockton, Bobby Hansen.

Top reserves: Kent Benson, Kelly Tripucka, Rickey Green, Darrell Griffith, Marc Iavaroni.

Top draft pick: Dell Curry, Virginia Tech.

Outlook: Griffith, who missed last season with a stress fracture in his foot, returns this season. Griffith, the NBA’s best three-point shooter before the injury, recently signed a six-year contract. He has had hamstring problems during the exhibition season and will begin the season as a reserve. The Jazz has a deep bench.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Standing: Finished fifth (37-45); lost to Houston in the first round of the playoffs, 3-0.

Coach: Phil Johnson (222-273).

Starters: Terry Tyler, Otis Thorpe, LaSalle Thompson, Derek Smith, Reggie Theus.

Top reserves: Eddie Johnson, Joe Klein, Harold Pressley, Mark Olberding.

Top draft pick: Harold Pressley, Villanova.

Outlook: Smith, acquired from the Clippers, looked good in the exhibition season. Smith has said that he wants to score 40 against the Clippers in Friday night’s season opener at Sacramento. Franklin Edwards, who was also part of the Smith deal, is sidelined with a broken foot.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Standing: Finished last (35-47) in division. Made playoffs for 9th time in last 10 seasons but lost to the Lakers in the first round, 3-0.

Coach: Bob Weiss (first season).

Starters: Mike Mitchell, David Greenwood, Artis Gilmore, Alvin Robertson, Johnny Moore.

Top reserves: Johnny Dawkins, Mychal Thompson.

Top draft pick: Johnny Dawkins, Duke.

Outlook: Moore, who last season contracted desert fever, a rare form of meningitis, has not played a regular-season game since last December. He played in all eight exhibition games, however, averaging 10.6 points in 24 minutes, second-highest on the team. He shot 56.9% from the floor and had 5 assists and 2 steals a game. The Spurs were 19-12 before Moore got sick, but they lost 21 of their final 25 games and barely made the playoffs.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

BOSTON CELTICS

Standing: Finished first (67-15) in division. Won 16th NBA title by beating Houston Rockets in final series, 4-1.

Coach: K.C. Jones (347-145).

Starters: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson.

Top Reserves: Bill Walton, Scott Wedman, Jerry Sichting.

Top draft pick: Len Bias, Maryland (died of cocaine overdose).

Outlook: If any team can repeat, it ought to be the Celtics. They had the best record in the NBA last season and have virtually the same team back.

WASHINGTON BULLETS

Standing: Finished third (39-43); lost to Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs, 3-2.

Coach: Kevin Loughery (291-444, second season with Bullets).

Starters: Jay Vincent, Terry Catledge, Moses Malone, Jeff Malone, Frank Johnson.

Top reserves: John Williams, Manute Bol, Darwin Cook, Dan Roundfield.

Top draft pick: John Williams, LSU.

Outlook: The Bullets should be stronger with the acquisition of Moses Malone and Catledge from the 76ers and Vincent from Dallas, but they may need some time to come together. Bol, the 7-7 shot blocker, bulked up to 227 pounds during the off-season.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Standing: Finished second (54-28); lost to Milwaukee in the semifinals, 4-3.

Coach: Matt Guokas (54-28).

Starters: Charles Barkley, Roy Hinson, Jeff Ruland, Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks.

Top reserves: Cliff Robinson, Andrew Toney, Danny Vranes.

Top draft pick: David Wingate, Georgetown.

Outlook: Barkley developed into one of the best forwards in the league last season and if he can mesh with newcomers Ruland and Robinson, the 76ers and Bullets should battle for second place behind Boston.

NEW JERSEY NETS

Standing: Finished fourth (39-43); lost to Milwaukee in the first round of the playoffs, 3-0.

Coach: Dave Wohl (39-43).

Starters: Buck Williams, Orlando Woolridge, Darryl Dawkins, Dwayne (Pearl) Washington, Albert King.

Top reserves: Mike Gminski, James Bailey.

Top draft pick: Dwayne (Pearl) Washington, Syracuse.

Outlook: Washington, the team’s first-round draft pick from Syracuse, will open the season at point guard. The Nets, however, lack an experienced backup point guard. The team should be more stable without Micheal Ray Richardson, who was banned for life because of a drug problem.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Standing: Finished last (23-59) and didn’t make playoffs.

Coach: Hubie Brown (337-398).

Starters: Patrick Ewing, Kenny Walker, Bill Cartwright, Gerald Wilkins, Trent Tucker or Rory Sparrow.

Top reserves: Pat Cummings, Gerald Wilkins.

Top draft pick: Kenny Walker, Kentucky.

Outlook: Can Cartwright go through a season without getting hurt? He injured his hand before an exhibition game against the Lakers when he hit a light bulb in the locker room but has recovered. Cartwright had 21 points and 14 rebounds in an exhibition game against Detroit. Walker, the Knicks’ top pick from Kentucky, will open the season as a starter.

CENTRAL DIVISION

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Standing: Won seventh straight division title (57-25). Lost to Boston in the Eastern Conference final, 4-0.

Coach: Don Nelson (490-312).

Starters: Terry Cummings, Paul Pressey, Jack Sikma, Sidney Moncrief, Craig Hodges.

Top reserves: Randy Breuer, Ricky Pierce.

Top draft pick: Scott Skiles, Michigan State.

Outlook: The Bucks have won 50 or more games for six straight seasons, but they haven’t been able to get to the NBA final series, losing three consecutive Eastern Conference finals. The Bucks made a bold move when they traded Alton Lister to Seattle for Sikma.

ATLANTA HAWKS

Standing: Finished second (50-32); lost to Boston in the semifinal, 4-1.

Coach: Mike Fratello (124-122).

Starters: Dominique Wilkins, Kevin Willis, Tree Rollins, Glen Rivers, Randy Whitman.

Top reserves: Mike McGee, Spud Webb, Jon Koncak, Cliff Levingston.

Top draft pick: Ken Barlow, Notre Dame.

Outlook: Former Laker McGee has been like a tonic for the Hawks, giving them a veteran guard who can come off the bench. McGee had a good exhibition season but Fratello plans to start Whitman. Antoine Carr, who has been hampered by injuries, will probably open the season on the injured list. Carr suffered second-degree burns on his left leg and foot in an accident in a hot tub.

DETROIT PISTONS

Standing: Finished third (46-36). Lost to Atlanta in the first round, 3-1.

Coach: Chuck Daly (150-137).

Starters: Adrian Dantley, Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars.

Top reserves: Tony Campbell, John Salley, Sidney Green, Vinnie Johnson.

Top draft pick: John Salley, Georgia Tech.

Outlook: Dantley missed half the exhibition season with a sore Achilles’ tendon. When he did play, he started one game in the backcourt as an experiment. He didn’t score a point while playing guard, but had 16 points in the third quarter when he was moved back to small forward.

CHICAGO BULLS

Standing: Fourth (30-52). Lost to Boston in the first round, 3-0.

Coach: Doug Collins (first season).

Starters: Charley Oakley, Earl Cureton, Dave Corzine or Jawann Oldham, Michael Jordan, Steve Colter.

Top reserves: Granville Waiters, Brad Sellers.

Top draft pick: Brad Sellers, Ohio State.

Outlook: If Jordan can stay uninjured, the Bulls should be better than last year. Collins has never been a head coach and he left a cushy job as a TV commentator. Waiters, acquired from Houston during camp, has been inconsistent.

INDIANA PACERS

Standing: Finished last (26-56) and missed playoffs.

Coach: Jack Ramsay (785-691, first season with Pacers).

Starters: Herb Williams, Wayman Tisdale or Clark Kellogg, Steve Stipanovich, Vern Fleming, John Long.

Top reserves: Kyle Macy, Chuck Person, Greg Dreiling.

Top draft pick: Chuck Person, Auburn.

Outlook: It may take awhile for Ramsay to turn the Pacers around. They finished 21st in scoring last season and had the second-worst record in the NBA behind the Knicks.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Standing: Fifth (29-53). Didn’t make playoffs.

Coach: Lenny Wilkens (553-491).

Starters: Mark West, John (Hot Rod) Williams, Brad Daugherty, Mark Bagley, Ron Harper.

Top reserves: Keith Lee, Melvin Turpin, Dirk Minniefield. Mark Price.

Top draft pick: Brad Daugherty, North Carolina.

Outlook: The Cavaliers still haven’t signed World Free or Phil Hubbard. They reportedly offered Free a two-year $400,000 contract, but only $200,000 of it guaranteed. Free earned $675,000 last season and had a strong second half. Hubbard, who missed 59 games because of a wrist injury, was offered a one-year contract. Mark West had earned a starting spot after having a good exhibition season.