European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 06, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse \ Bird land celts hang on to oust pacers Chuck person goes up for the shot sunday against Bostons Derek Smith. By Dave of Hara Boston apr Larry Bird was. Like a True heavyweight Champ. He hit the floor hard but he refused to be counted out. J As a result the Boston celtics 4ire Iti the second round of the playoffs for the first time in three years. Already playing with a bad Back Bird left the game after being kicked in the Cheek in a spill late in the second period. But he returned to sparked a 42-Point third Quarter sunday As the Boston celtics edged the Indiana pacers 124-121, although they almost blew a 16-Point Lead in the final minutes. A i was coming Back no matter what a said Bird who scored 32 Points and had an aching jaw to go with his painful Back injury after the game. A the fans were pumped up and i Wasny to going to let them greeted by a thunderous Roar from the Boston Garden crowd when he rejoined his teammates five minutes into the second half Bird scored 12 of his Points in the third Quarter As the celtics pulled away from a 73-73 tie for a 100-91 Lead at the three Quarter Mark. Boston widened the advantage to As much As 16 Points 112-96, at 4 58 of the fourth period then Hung on to win the deciding game of the Best-of-5 series that spoiled the upstart pacers bid for a second round berth for the first time since the team joined the Aba in 1976, but the celtics were helped by the pacers particularly Chuck person who took an off balance 3-Pointer Voth 15 seconds left and Indiana trailing by just two Points. Brian Shaw then hit two free throws making a later 3-Pointer by person meaningless. A Quot i did no to want to go into overtime Here so 1 went for it a said person who made 5 of 93-Ppintersen route to 32points. The stars and stripes ports May 6,1991 Page 28 a i think our players gutted it out a Boston coach Chris Ford said after the celtics improved their record to 21-7 in deciding playoff games. Last year they lost 3-2 to the new York kicks in the first round. A Larry was absolutely spectacular amazing stupendous a Ford said. A i did no to know if Larry would be Back after the half until i heard the crowd. He is truly amazing and Ford said that Bird got a busted in the Bird said later though that he hit his cheekbone hard on the floor when he apparently slipped and was tripped Over by an Indiana player. _ _ _ _ a the momentum really changed when Larry came Back a Indiana coach Bob Hill said. A the is amazing. 1 Hope you All respect him and appreciate his Reggie Lewis finished with 22 for the celtics. Robert Parish had 21 and Mchale and Shaw 13 each. For Indiana Micheal Williams scored 23 Points Reggie Miller-22 and detlef Schrempf 20. A blazers finally shake zanies. Portland Ore. A the Portland. Trail blazers turned to their strengths a harassing defense and the offensive boards a to Elim Imite Seattle 119-107 saturday. It. A a a we got Back to the basics a Buck Williams said. A we got Back to rebounding and playing defense and we won Terry Porter had 23 Points Clyde Droxler tallied 22 and Porter had 11 assists As the blazers won the Best of five series 3-2 to Advance to a second round matchup against Utah that series opens tuesday night at.poxlland.1 _ the sonics trying to become the first no.,8 seed to win a playoff series beat Portland twice in Seattle to Force saturday s deciding game. A the sonics never challenged seriously after the second Quarter on Portland s Home court where the blazers have lost Only five times this season. Portland led by 22 in the second Quarter and 20 at halftime. Seattle never got closer than the final margin in the second half and trailed by As Many As 30. Quot a a a we really came out determined and focused and just wanted to accomplished that we do a Droxler said. A everything we did was just the Way we Drew it Quot pistons splatter Hawks Auburn Hills Mich. A Detroit kept alive for a third straight Aba title As Isiah Thomas had 26 Points and 11 assists in a 113-81 win Over Atlanta in the fifth and deciding game of their first round series sunday. _ the pistons trying to become Only the third team in Aba history to win three consecutive championships will open the second round against the celtics in Boston on tuesday night. A Thomas playing with a Nylon covering on a right wrist that required surgery and a wrap on his pulled left hamstring scored 16 Points to help the pistons to a 5942 halftime Lead. He scored 10 More in the third Quarter As the pistons continued to pour it on. The pistons defense held Atlanta to 16 third Quarter Points and took a 90-58 Lead into the fourth Quarter. For the game Atlanta made Only 30 percent of its Field goal attempts. Detroit a defense was Bost in the Aba this season. The pistons held opponents to an average of 96.8 Points per game. The Hawks averaged 109,8 Points per game during the season but Only 95.2 against Detroit Kevin Willis had 13 Points for Atlanta and Doc Rivers had 12, Joe Dumars added 22 Points for Detroit. The pistons who never trailed in the first half took advantage of a 1 50 scoreless spell by Atlanta to build a 30-15 Lead with 4 21 left in the first Quarter. _ with Rivers scoring eight Points the Hawks narrowed the deficit to 46-39 with 4 03 left in the second Quarter. But Thomas had a three Point play at the 2 55 Mark and followed with a 3-Point Basket 40 seconds later to spark a 13-3 pistons burst that gave Detroit a 59-42 halftime Lead. A the Hawks shot Only 26.2 percent in the first half. The pistons shot 46 percent and had a 30-25 Edge in rebounds. 1 in game 3, in Atlanta the pistons trailed by 17 Points at halftime but won 103-91. The other two three Peaters were the Minneapolis lakers 1952-54 and the Boston celtics 1959-66 the last time the Hawks advanced to the second round was 1988 when they ousted Washington in the first sports Derby winners also strike Gold with jockey Page 22 Klimas hat trick leads oilers Back to Square 1 a Page 25 saturday night sunday afternoon in the majors _ a pages 26-27 Wallace Dodges pair of crashes for. Iroc win a Page 27
