NBA CHAMPIONSHIP : LAKERS VS. CELTICS : BOSTON EQUALIZER : Celtics’ Greg Kite Expects Warm Welcome From Crowd at Forum Today

When reserve center Greg Kite of the Boston Celtics was introduced during the opening game of the National Basketball Assn. finals, there was barely a whimper from the sellout crowd at the Forum.

Dancing Barry drew a bigger reaction from the crowd than the not-so-celebrated Mr. Kite.

But that was then and this is now.

Kite, called the least talented player in the NBA by a Boston sportswriter earlier this season, is not just another big body warming a seat on the Celtic bench anymore.

Kite has become the Celtics’ designated enforcer.

And Kite figures to be about as unpopular with the L.A. fans as Jack Nicholson is at the Boston Garden after Kite’s role in an altercation with Laker forward James Worthy in Game 4 last Tuesday at Boston.

Kite said he’s prepared for a hostile reaction from the Laker fans for Game 6 today at the Forum.

“I’m sure I’ll get booed Sunday,” Kite said before the Celtics’ workout Saturday at the Forum. “I’ve gotten booed a few times before. At least the fans know who I am.

“I don’t worry about it. I think it’s kind of fun. I realize that people come to the games here to cheer for the Lakers and boo their opponents. It happens in every city. It’s a release for them.”

Kite may be a hero in Boston, but some L.A. fans probably think he’s a cheap shot artist.

Kite and teammate Dennis Johnson pulled down Worthy as he was driving for a layup with 15 seconds left in the second period of Game 4 last Tuesday at the Boston Garden.

Worthy took exception to what he thought was a cheap shot and got up swinging. Worthy threw several punches at Kite. Worthy and Kite drew technical fouls.

Worthy was fined $2,000 for his role in the altercation, the NBA announced Friday. Kite and Johnson were not fined.

“I don’t know about the other guys but I feel the fine was fair,” Kite said. “I didn’t try to retaliate (against Worthy).

“It was certainly accidental that he went down as hard as he did.”

Detroit center Bill Laimbeer registered under an alias at a Boston hotel to prevent Celtic fans from harassing him after he was involved in a fight with Larry Bird during the Eastern Conference finals.

However, Kite isn’t hiding out at the Celtics’ hotel here.

“I didn’t register under a different name,” Kite said. “But I will ask the hotel to hold my calls so I won’t get any calls at 2 a.m. It’s happened before where kids will call me early in the morning.”

Kite’s phone has been ringing off the hook at home since his emergence as the Celtics’ top front line reserve in the finals.

Kite has probably received more media coverage in the last week than he did during the first three years of his career.

“I had a lot of friends call me from all over the country last Sunday and Monday,” Kite said. “Everybody wanted to congratulate me.”

Kite came off the bench to grab a career-high nine rebounds and make a key block of a shot in Game 3 last Sunday as the Celtics beat the Lakers, 109-103.

Kite didn’t score a point, but he did a good job of checking Laker center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the Celtics slowed the Laker fast break.

Kite pushed and shoved Abdul-Jabbar out of position, forcing the Laker center to set up further away from the basket than usual.

Kite, became an instant hero in Boston after the game.

However, Kite hasn’t exactly been an offensive force for the Celtics.

Kite has scored just three points in 70 minutes of action in the first five games of the series. He scored a basket during garbage time in the first game of the series and went scoreless in next three games.

However, Kite banked in a free throw in Game 5 last Thursday--and got a big ovation from the Celtic fans at Boston Garden.

Kite is prepared for another tough game today as the Celtics, who trail the Lakers 3-2, fight to stay alive. This is the third time that Boston has been one game away from being eliminated in the playoffs this season.

“I think we’ll have to play a lot better than we did for most of the time in Boston to get a win out here,” Kite said. “But we’re playing better now.”