Feb. 6, 1964 - Baltimore was up to its old last-ditch tricks again tonight, but K.C. Jones (pictured) foiled Rod Thorn’s driving lay-up with three seconds left and Gus Johnson’s horn-sounding 8-footer bounced off the rim to permit Boston to survive, 94-92, before 10,210 in College Park, Maryland.
Trailing 94-88 with 3:16 remaining, the Bullets suddenly darted within 94-92 when Walt Bellamy and Thorn sank free throws and Thorn knocked down a corner one-hander 65 seconds from the finish. The Bullets and Celtics exchanged missed shots, and then Si Green slapped Sam Jones’s dribble away with four seconds left. Thorn, a helpful partner with Green on that piece of midcourt burglary, broke downcourt for Green’s pass, but K.C. Jones caught up in their race for the hoop, foiled the one-hander somehow without fouling, and the ball went out of bounds. Johnson, after receiving the throw-in, hit the front of the rim.
John Havlicek, 20 points and 13 rebounds; Tom Sanders and Sam Jones, 19 tallies each; and Bill Russell, 15 points and 34 rebounds, where the chief architects of the ruination of Baltimore’s two-game winning string. The decision, with Boston leading from Russell’s 2-0 field goal, also gave Boston a 6-0 edge in the season series.
The Celtics, who sit in first place in the Eastern Division, lead Cincinnati by 3½ games. The Bullets sit in third place in the West behind St. Louis, Los Angeles, and the division-leading San Francisco Warriors.
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