NBA Playoffs Roundup : Celtics Put Guards Up and Hold Off the Bulls Despite 42 by Jordan

It is Larry Bird’s contention that players should not get tired during the playoffs. With no back-to-back games and easier travel conditions, postseason play should not be that tiring the star of the Boston Celtics maintains.

The 6-9 forward may not admit it, but he appeared to be dragging at crunch time Sunday at Boston and it was Danny Ainge and Dennis Johnson who made the key plays in the 105-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Despite Michael Jordan’s 42 points and superlative play, the Bulls trail, 2-0, in the best of-five series with the prospect their season may end Tuesday night at Chicago.

The Bulls, like the durable Bird, appeared to be tired in the stretch, but maybe it was just that playoff inexperience frustrated them.

Jordan, who played a hard 45 minutes at both ends of the court, really turned it on late in the third quarter. With the Celtics leading by 10, Jordan scored the next 12 points and with nine minutes left, the Bulls led, 84-82.

A minute later he made a mistake that turned the game against them. Sedale Threatt sank a long jumper that made it 87-85 for Chicago. While Threatt and Jordan were exchanging praises, Kevin McHale slipped down the court, took a long pass from Bird and scored the tying basket on a layup.

For the next six minutes, while his teammates stood around as if in a daze, Jordan forced a couple of shots and Ainge and Johnson showed the Bulls what playoff poise is all about.

While the two guards spearheaded a tough defense, they also hit open shots, the first two by Ainge, followed by a three-point play for Johnson that gave the Celtics command once more. While the Bulls’ only points in a six-minute spell came on Jordan’s jumper, Boston scored 12 points, six by Ainge, and it was all over.

Jordan, triple-teamed most of the game, was tremendous. He blocked shots, batted away passes, and found teammates alone under the basket, though they often missed easy layups, so he had only four assists.

Midway through the third quarter, he and Bird each had 23 points. Bird scored only six more. The best of Jordan was yet to come.

Johnson always plays well in big games. He did a good job of staying with Jordan and his 18 points came mostly in key situations.

One thing that may hurt the Celtics in their bid to repeat as champions, is the condition of Kevin McHale. The big forward has a foot problem and was banged about in this game. Without him in peak form, the Celtics may have a problem.

But even with the magnificent Jordan, the Bulls aren’t going to stop them.

Philadelphia 125, Milwaukee 122--Charles Barkley scored 8 of his 26 points in overtime at Milwaukee and the 76ers evened their best-of-five series at a game apiece.

Included in the late surge was a steal and a short jumper with 11 seconds left in the extra period to give the 76ers the lead for good.

Although he is still recovering from an ankle injury, Barkley also had 15 rebounds and helped the 76ers wipe out a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Detroit 128, Washington 85--The Pistons humiliated the Bullets at Pontiac, Mich., and grabbed a 2-0 lead in the series.

The Pistons, shooting 71% from the field, led, 76-36, at halftime, the largest margin ever in the playoffs.

The Pistons broke it open with a 40-14 burst in the second period. Isiah Thomas ended the half with a 52-foot three-pointer.

It was such a onesided game that 7-5 center Chuck Nevitt, who played only 267 minutes during the regular season, played eight minutes and had five rebounds.

Atlanta 94, Indiana 93--Dominique Wilkins scored 43 points, but the Hawks needed a short hook by Kevin Willis in the last minute at Atlanta to give the Hawks a 2-0 lead in the series.

The battling Pacers built a 69-60 lead in the third quarter only to have Wilkins, who had 25 points in the second half, lead a 17-2 burst to put Atlanta on top.

Willis’ shot made it 94-91. With 42 seconds left, Chuck Person sank two free throws. The Pacers got one more chance when the Hawks let the 24-second clock run out without getting shot. But, with two seconds left, Chuck Long missed a 15-foot jumper.

Willis scored only eight points and had not scored since the second quarter when he sank the winning basket.

Portland 111, Houston 98--The Trail Blazers used a trapping defense at Portland that forced 25 turnovers and the sharpshooting of Clyde Drexler to even the series with the taller Rockets.

Drexler made 12 of 21 shots from the field and had 32 points.