European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 31, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday May 31, 19b6 the stars and stripes Page 21 Bird Powers celts to 2=0 Lead by William r. Barnard Boston a Larry Bird celebrated his third consecutive regular season most valuable player award with a Blue ribbon playoff performance against the Houston rocket thursday  scored 31 Points an 12-for-19 shooting including Ihrck for five from three Point Range As the celtics look a 2-0 Lead in the Aba championship series by beating the rocket 117-95. Once again Boston put the game out of reach in the third Quarter in route a winning its 40th consecutive Home game since dec. 6. When he plays the world looks and listens Boston coach . Jones said he s inc epitome of what great ballplayers Are  no one is going to cover him with one Man Houston coach Bill Fitch said. He keeps getting better and better. When it starts when he gets his rhythm when he gels it going he s in a world of his  the 90-Dcgree temperatures in 57-year-old Boston Gar Den that is not air conditioned were reminiscent of another steamy night two years ago when the los Angeles lakers willed m the heal and lost to the celtics in the final series. I Hope this was our last game Here but you never know Bird said it was really hot nut there. The heat look a lot out of me but you play on emotion. 1 reel the crowd did t do their part in the first two series but in the last two games they be stayed  the atmosphere was no hotter than Bird s shooting hand As he had the sellout crowd of 14,890 chanting map map with each Long Range Basket. He s the Best i be Ever seen play Houston s lending scorer Kacem Olajuwon said. He can shoot from every where.". Larry Bird gets my vote is he Best total player of All Lime Jones added. The Victory allowed the celtics to maintain their Home court advantage in the bust of seven series although the next three games Are scheduled for Houston s Summit on sunday tuesday and thursday. We wanted to come of Strong tonight Kevin Mchale who followed Bird with 25 Points said. We came out really fired up. Last year the series was lost right Here in the second game. We re thinking Cnoc 3. If we get it we know it Wilt be hard for them to come  last season when the celtics lost for Only the second time in what is now is finals appearances they loss to the lakers in game 2 and fell 4-2 in the series. Only four teams in Aba history came Back from a 2-0 deficit to win a playoff series. Two of those comebacks came in the finals Wilh Boston beating inc lakers in seven games in 1969 and Portland rallying to win four straight against Philadelphia in 1977, the rockets had Cut n 10-Poinl halftime deficit to 64 .56 Early in the third Quarter before Bird completed an ii i Streak with a three Pointer and a Long two Point jumper for a 75-57 margin. Boston outscored the rockets 34-19 in the third Quarter for a 94-69 Lead. The celtics continued to expand on that advantage for Ronti of the rest of the game leading by As Many As 27 Points in Llic fourth Quarter. Dennis Johnson added 18 for the. Celtics Olajuwon who scored 33 Points for Houston in its 112-100 loss in came i paced the rockets with 21,. Rulh Sampson who had Only two Points in Liliu opener came Back with is for Houston despite Sumii ining a Cut under his left Eye that required swe hcs in the second Quarter. The celtics started the Gumc by hitting five of their first six shots including a three Painter by Bird that gave them an 11 -4 Lead. Olajuwon blanketed by Boston s defense Early in the game did t gel his first shot from the Field until Marc than six minutes had elapsed but that outside jumper helped inc rockets to just a 19-18 deficit. A Dunk by Sampson giving him 10 Points in the Quarter tied it at 27 with 1 40 left and a Hook by Olajuwon gave Houston a 29-27 Edge. But the cd pics led 31-30 at the end of the period. Houston did t gel its first Field a i of the second Quarter until Olajuwon hit a turn ii round jumper with b 3d left but despite the drought the celtics led Only 36-34. That shot seemed to ignite Boston especially Bird who scored his 13-second-Quarier Ninis while the celtics were outscoring the rockets 24-16 for the remainder of the period for the 60-50 halftime Lead. Cup marred by spying Hurt players Mexico City a As 24 teams go through their final preparations Lor the world cup injuries discord and even complaints of spy ing have made for a controversial countdown to the soccer championship Italy the defending Champion and Bulgaria open the month Long tournament on saturday before an expected sellout crowd of 114.000 at Aztec stadium. Those teams already have traded charges about the roles of scouts at i hair practices with Van Shalov head of the bulgarian soc cer federation claiming some scouts were spying on the team. Shatov also accused the italians of consid ering All bulgarians  Enzo Bearnot the coach of the italian squad called Shatov a politician not a Man of soccer and Dis missed the charges. The soviets were impressive in a 12-i Warmup Victory Over a club team from Iraq Auto for the second straight Day the soviets played with. Out numbers on their shirts a move designed to confuse spies from other teams who May have been watching the game. While the spies May or May not have existed the very real problem of injuries remained a source of con Cern in every Camp severely Ham Pering the strategy of coaches who could not yet determine who would be available to put on the Field. Rafael Cordillo the play making midfielder for Spain has an upset stomach and is considered doubtful for the team s opener on sunday against Brazil one of the key matches of the first round. Both teams Are highly regarded but figure to be without important players on sunday. Gordillo was bed Ridden and being treated with a Saline solution. But Forward Hipolito Rincon and mid fielder Ramon Caldire had recon sea world cup on Page 23 sex dodger hurls 5-2 Victory Meis Fernandez stops la by Ibe associated press new York the los Angeles Dodg ers do not usually Trade away top prospects but Sid Fernandez of the new York mets is one that slipped away. Fernandez Oul dulled Fernando Valcon Zuckla in n Battle of left handers thursday night As the mets beat the dodgers 5-2 for their fifth straight Victory. Fernandez so pitched eight innings and allowed four hits including a Lead off Nomer no Roundup in the fifth by Mike Marshall his 13th. Fernandez walked two and struck out five. It s no grudge match said Fernandez who was traded by los Angeles to the mets in 1?b3 for left handed reliever Carlos Diaz and infielder Bob Bailor. Roger Mcdowell relieved Fernandez to Start the ninth and got the first two batters before Mike Marshall singled and Ken Landreau reached on second baseman Wally Backman s error. Reliever Jesse Orosco then retired Mike Scioscia on a see no on Page 23 a Pitolo new York mets left hinder 5id Fernanda. Out ducks dodger Fernando Valenzuela relievers Lead orioles Over a s from press dispatches Oakland Calif. The Baltimore orioles went ahead on Power and Larry sheets second Homer of the game and stayed there with excellent Relief pitching thursday. "1 think Relief pitching is the biggest Dif Ference Between this year and last year. When our starters have bad Days the re Lievers come in and do a Good Job sheets said after the orioles downed the Oakland a s 8-6. It was the fifth straight loss for the a s. Ken Dixon the Baltimore starter Al Lowed two homers and three doubles before leaving in the third inning. Reliever Brad havens 2-1, pitched perfect baseball for 4tt innings and struck out five to gel the win. Don Aase who got his 12lh save allowed just one hit a single Over the last two in Al Roundup rings. Sheets made the score 7-6 in the sixth with his second Homer. Cal Ripken or. Also homered for the orioles helping the hot team overcome its second consecutive four error game. The a s ripped Dixon for Home runs by Jose Canseco and Carney Lansford but Baltimore wiped out a 6-5 Oakland Lead in the sixth when sheets hit his sixth Homer his third in two Days after Ripken had walked. Canseco opened the scaring with his 14th Homer of the season a three run shot to Center Field in the first raising his i l total to 44 the Best in the majors. Baltimore bounced Back on sheets first Humr acc Lucy s Sacri fice Fly and Ripken s two run shot. Lansford opened the a s third with his fifth Homer. It was the Lii of the season off Dixon and the 1 Ullh in the right hander s last four starts. Dixon left in the third after the a s lied the score on doubles by Canseco and Mike Davis. The a i went head 6-5 As Davis scored from second beating the first base Man s throw Home on Alfredo Griffin s Ujj Rondout to third. Alan Wiggins drove in Baltimore s final run in the eighth with his third hit. In other Al action thursday Yankees 2, Murine is 0 Seattle Dennis Rasmussen pitched three hit Tail for winnings and Mike Pagliarulo drove in two rans with a Homer and double leading new York Over Seattle. The Yankees won for the ninth time in see Al on Page 23