OCR Text |
Show r - 'Yardley: Tve Waited a Year' By John Yardley I have waited one year to write i article. That's right, ever since the Lakers defeated a sore winged . Bir(j in six games in 1985. I've C bought about this week. All of you h Celtic fans, this one is for you. All of ijjose who dislike the Celtics and nanny Ainge, not necessarily in that order, can now turn to the Pangutich hleady, set, go ... THE CELTICS vyoN IT ALL! They stomped the Rockets 114-97 in the final game and wagiC Johnson or Kareem couldn't (jo a thing about it. Sound biased? ffi: well it is. Here is a team that went 50-1 at home, that's counting games played in the Garden and in Hartford, Conn. 15 One loss. Incredible. This is a team that was criticized for poor guard play in last year's 08 1 finals, for Larry Bird being sub-H sub-H normal and Robert Parrish being k slain by Jabbar. Pas. Against Houston, Bird almost Us averaged a triple double, a 24 point i(. average in scoring, nearly 10 "a Lebounds a game and slightly under "elflO assists. Kevin McHale almost V matched Birds performance as he i 1 in scoring most of the final series ! and averaged 25.8. Finally, for those Hr j detractors of BYU's Ainge, he averaged 14 points per game, was in Hi) (he top three in assists and steals and in one game was the top is rebounder. : Say what you want about the old "tree bites man" syndrome, but against Milwaukee Ainge was dynamite, and against Houston was an integral part of the best "teamwork-team" in basketball. Danny can claim fame in being a starter on an NBA Champion team. Do you know of any other Utah collegian who can claim the same? Against Houston Ainge was second in field goal percentage, second on free throw percentage, second in steals, and second in assists among Boston starters. Bill Walton, the reformed hippy of the late 60 s helped push this team over the top. Best sixth man in the NBA for 1986. Dennis Johnson, Mr. Defense and the best clutch shooting guard in the league. I could go on and on, including ex-BYU ex-BYU er Greg Kite, who played some decent minutes and contributes as scrimmage bait for McHale, Parish and Bird. Who wouldn't do that for a new contract valued around $200,000 per year. Good job Kite If Frank Arnold could only see you now. There now, I'm beginning to feel better. I can brag about the Celtics and Bird and McHale and Ainge and all the rest from now until it all" starts again in November. Bird won the league and series MVP. He is unreal. He says with hard work he can improve. That's like saying the fishin' is fair on Panguitch Lake when you catch your limit in five minutes. Ainge answered the critics. He averaged about 12.5 points per game on the season, five assists and only missed nudging Bird for the free throw title by two attempts. That is, had he even shot two more his percentage would have beaten Bird at 92 percent. Evenmore importantly, im-portantly, Danny pushed the ball up the middle on the fast break like no other player on the team. And now finally, there is K.C. Jones, the coach. Quiet, dignified. Gives the players lee-way in their play, poised, doesn't crack under pressure. His best play? Give it to Bird. Bird and his uncanny ability to pass and shoot and rebound may be the best ever at all-around play. He hustles, thinks and beats you at the . fundamentals. He is simply the ultimate basketball player. Too bad this type couldn't be set in green-Celtic Green, 'cause that's what it is all about. The 1986 NBA Champions. All the other teams can now only look green . . . with envy. Oh, I love it. The Celtics won it all. |