Celtics To Honor Parish’s ‘00’ In Bird’s Return

There is “loud” and, as homage to New England slang, there is “wicked loud.” But when the noisemeter on the FleetCenter scoreboard hits “Garden level,” then the joint is really jumpin’. And as sure as there’s a Hoosier in the house, it will be jumping today.

Larry Bird and Robert Parish, Garden gods and future Hall of Famers who led the Celtics to three NBA titles (1981, ‘84, ‘86), never wore Celtics uniforms in the new building. But both will be in the FleetCenter, and if there aren’t a few cracks in the concrete when the shouting and standing ovations are over, then the 3-year-old Fleet will last as long as the pyramids.

Parish, “The Chief,” who played more seasons (21) and games (1,611) than anyone in history, will have his No. 00 retired and raised to the rafters at halftime ceremonies to be attended by several teammates.

The most famous, of course, is Bird, whose return as coach of the Indiana Pacers might have been seen as an act of treason by Celtics fans, were it not for their Bird worship and the circumstances that led to his leaving.

After spending five Florida-based retirement years as a loose and creaky hood ornament atop the increasingly sputtering engine that was the Celtics front office, Bird, whom Red Auerbach called the greatest Celtic ever, left the nest. Turning his proud, surgery-scarred back on what he felt were majority owner Paul Gaston’s halfhearted attempts to keep him on board, Bird, who had never coached, returned to his Indiana roots. He accepted a $4.5 million-a-year contract to coach the Pacers before moving to the front office.

Neither Bird nor Parish are known for their sentimentality, but today marks a turn for both. For Parish, who was at his playing best in 14 seasons with the Celtics, only to have his image forever marred by allegations he beat his former wife, the ceremonies should lend an elegant closure to his Boston years. For Bird, a Celtic at heart, but now a Pacer, it’s a new dawn. And for Celtics’ fans, one more teary-eyed photo op, for the way they were.

On the courts

In Inglewood, Calif., Shaquille O’Neal scored 11 of his 24 points in the final 5-1/2 minutes and Nick Van Exel added 23 as the Los Angeles Lakers downed the Miami Heat 108-99 Saturday night.

Voshon Lenard scored a season-high 28 points and Isaac Austin added 20 for the Heat. Miami’s loss was its ninth on the road, matching its total for last season when the Heat had the fewest road losses in the league.

In Salt Lake City, Karl Malone scored 32 points and John Stockton added 21 points and 10 assists as the Jazz handed the Orlando Magic their third straight loss, 107-93.

The Magic trailed just 77-75 at the end of the third quarter, but the Jazz scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, five by Stockton, to lead 84-75.

In Washington, Chris Webber had 31 points and Tracy Murray came off the bench to score 20 as the Wizards beat another Western Conference team (12-2; 9-18 against the Eastern Conference), defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 108-99.

Clippers coach Bill Fitch remained at 937 career wins, one shy of second-place Red Auerbach on the NBA’s career list.

In East Rutherford, N.J., Keith Van Horn scored 23 points and the New Jersey Nets held Atlanta to a season-low 10 points in the third quarter while ending the Hawks’ six-game winning streak, 97-81.

Steve Smith led the Hawks with 17 points, but his streak of scoring at least 20 points was stopped at eight games.

Earlier, John Nash, the general manager who engineered eight- and nine-player trades that brought Van Horn, Sam Cassell and Chris Gatling to New Jersey, signed a multi-year contract extension with the Nets. The contract is retroactive to July, and it will carry into the next century, said Nash, who signed a three-year deal when he joined the team in June 1996.

In Philadelphia, Allen Iverson scored 15 of his 28 points in the first quarter as the 76ers eased past Golden State 112-84, dealing the Warriors their 10th straight loss.