Bird Back in Flight as Celtics Start Over

Ohio State’s St. John Arena didn’t look like Larry Bird country at first, but that changed dramatically by the time of the pregame introductions, with the first standing ovation. By the time the referees were mercilessly booed for having the gall to call a foul on him. By the time he flicked a pass to Ed Pinckney on the right wing for a layup.

And after the Boston Celtics disposed of the Washington Bullets in Sunday’s preseason finale, it got downright hazardous to be Larry Bird. A crowd six or seven deep waited outside the Boston locker room, mostly kids. Conditions were cramped and sticky.

Inside, Larry Bird was dripping. But it was because an ice pack was on his left shoulder, the result of a mild hyperextension he suffered Friday. An army of ball boys filed past, with a program, a shirt, a basketball for autographing.

“Can you sign my shirt, Larry?” was the usual request.

All in all, the regular chaos that surrounds him. But at least this time he had a game to break down, plays to analyze. That was not the case for all but six games last season, when Bird was out following surgery to remove bone spurs on both heels. So, though the questions weren’t always enlightening Sunday, at least there were questions to answer.

Not so a few months ago, when Bird was a well-dressed cheerleader and was helpless to keep the Celtics from being swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons. It was a close three games, but the issue was never really in doubt.

“They pay me too much money to be a cheerleader,” Bird said.

This preseason has been good for Boston (7-1 after Sunday’s 123-89 blowout of the Bullets), so-so for Bird. There’s rust to scrape off and he has to get into full-time shape. Add the need to look at rookies and free agents in preseason, and you have a situation where Bird can’t get the kind of playing time he needs. On the other hand, it’s a necessary evil that Boston gradually work new blood into its talented but aging core. For the moment, it’s a Catch-22.

“I haven’t played as much as I’d like because I’m coming back,” he said. “I get going and I come out of the game and I get going again and I come out. I’ve struggled at times a lot more in this preseason than I have in any preseason I can remember. I’ve been playing pretty well in the practices and the scrimmages and stuff.

“But it’s a different role for me too. I’m not getting the minutes I used to get. So it’s something I have to adjust to. ... I hope (not to play less), but I think I probably will be. When you have depth, I guess you have to play them. It’s according to how they do. Certain situations call for more minutes and the guys that are really playing good and if they’re playing well like that, it’ll be less minutes (for Bird). So when I’m out there I’m going to try and do as much as I possibly can.”