Bird to Have Surgery, Will Miss 3 Months

Larry Bird will have surgery to remove bone spurs on both heels and is expected to be lost to the Boston Celtics for at least 3 months. The bone spurs have caused problems with Bird’s Achilles’ tendons.

The Celtics didn’t say when the surgery will take place. It will be performed by Dr. Roger Mann and Dr. Arnold Scheller, the team physician, at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston.

Bird, who missed just 27 regular-season games in his previous 9 National Basketball Assn. seasons, sat out a game for the first time this season Wednesday night when Boston edged Golden State, 107-104. He played 16 minutes the previous night in the Celtics’ 84-65 victory at Miami.