Even When Struggling, Bird Improves Celtics

They have the greatest tradition in the National Basketball Association. The Boston Celtics. Parquet. Auerbach. Russell. Cousy. Havlicek. Bird. Sixteen championship banners.

Love them or hate them, they are always fascinating. And because they have been so successful, they are intensely scrutinized.

“When you’re living in the world that the Boston Celtics live in,” said Celtics Coach Jimmy Rodgers, “you’re living in a fishbowl. Anything that we do, good or bad, is going to be over-exaggerated.”

That never has been more true than this season. After missing all but six games last season because of surgery on both heels, Larry Bird returned. And immediately, he and the Celtics were subjected to daily analysis.

Bird’s Back -- Celtics Will Win Title.

Celtics Lose Big To Pistons -- Celtics Old; Bird’s Lost It.

Bird Publicly Praises Former Coach K.C. Jones -- Bird Hates Jimmy Rodgers.

For the most part, the Celtics have survived their reported ups and downs. Last week, they went on a West Coast road trip and compiled a 3-0 record. Ten of their next 15 games are at home, and are against teams with records worse than .500. And they still are within striking distance of the Atlantic Division-leading Knicks.

The Celtics are lacking in overall team speed and quickness, which could be their downfall. They don’t get many easy baskets, which means their halfcourt game has to be almost perfect for them to win.

But their biggest liability is Bird’s absence. They found that out last season when they were 42-40, the worst record in the Bird era. They rediscovered it Friday when Bird sprained an ankle and missed most of the second half of the Los Angeles Clippers game. After it was announced that Bird would not return to the game, the Celtics were outscored 28-9 and went on to lose. Bird did not make the trip Saturday night for the Washington Bullets game.

Still, the Celtics have played better recently despite Bird making a career-low 46 percent of his shots.

“It takes awhile to get to know everybody, especially when you sit out a year,” Bird said. “It’s a little bit tougher than I anticipated as far as stepping in and being in the flow of the game. My timing’s off, my shooting’s off and it just takes awhile to get it back.”

Bird has been his usual blunt self, but there has been a more intense examination of his statements, especially when Rodgers is the subject. When Bird publicly praised Jones, now a Seattle SuperSonics assistant, some suggested he actually was criticizing Rodgers.

“That’s what people said,” Rodgers said, “but I didn’t feel that way and I don’t think Larry intended that. Larry’s always been outspoken. That’s Larry. You’ve got to see through all of that and see that there’s a caring about his game and our game and winning. And that’s what’s most important.”

Bird said: “I respect Jimmy and I always have.”

What irritates Bird is that he has heard some negative comments by unnamed teammates. Bird says there are two of them, but he won’t name them. Speculation in Boston has centered around guard Jim Paxson, but Paxson denies he has made anti-Bird statements.

“The one thing about this team is that I’m the leader of this team,” Bird said. “The guys that are not playing well are usually the ones that cry. The one thing that bothered me is they don’t have enough guts to stand up to it and put their name in there about who said it. To me, that’s a yellow streak down their back. ... So I just look at it and say they’ve always been quitters, they’ve always had no heart and it’s the same way now.”

That’s typical Bird. He is as unafraid to speak his mind as he is to take the big shot. People can scrutinize all they want, but Bird understands the obvious: The only way the Celtics can win the title is if Bird is at his best. And if he is, the Celtics will be dangerous in any seven-game series against any team.

Hmmmmm. Two of the finalists for the Sacramento Kings job were John MacLeod and Bob Weiss. Dick Motta was hired. MacLeod is the guy who replaced Motta when Motta left the Dallas Mavericks. MacLeod coached the Mavericks to the Western Conference finals, which is farther than they ever advanced during seven years under Motta.

And Weiss, who would have been hired had Motta not accepted the job, was Motta’s assistant in Dallas for six years. But the working relationship between the two did not end on ideal terms when Weiss was hired by the San Antonio Spurs in 1986.

So could it be possible that Motta saw two guys he either did not respect or of whom he was jealous and decided to shaft both of them by taking the Kings job?

Ugly thoughts. And about such a nice, loyal guy.

Despite the Spurs’ success this season, there are rumblings in San Antonio that the team might move.

Spurs owner Red McCombs has never bought anything he would not sell, which is why he made so much money selling used cars. McCombs recently said he thought the Spurs with David Robinson and Larry Brown were worth $120 million. He paid $47 million for the team.

Whispers are that the Spurs will move by next season. Most likely sites are Memphis, Tenn., and, believe it or not, Kansas City, Mo.

Whispers from Houston indicate Rockets Coach Don Chaney soon may be replaced by Tom Nissalke, a former Rockets coach and the current Rockets television color announcer. ... Anyone notice that on Tuesday, Joe Barry Carroll had no points and no rebounds in six minutes? Didn’t think so.