clarinews@clarinet.com (01/14/90)
MIAMI (UPI) -- After 12 straight defeats, the Miami Heat thought that they were going to get a break and face Boston without Larry Bird. But Bird showed up at Miami Arena, his left ankle healed enough to allow him to play. He scored 12 points and handed out seven assists to help the Celts to a 105-96 victory over the Heat 105-96. ``We didn't think that he was going to play,'' Miami forward Glen Rice said after the game. ``He's a great player, and we thought that he was going to sit this one out, so we weren't that concerned about him.'' Robert Parish scored 30 points to pace the Celtics, while Kevin McHale added 26. The loss for the Heat was its 13th in a row. Rony Seikaly led the Heat with 28 points and 18 rebounds, while Rice tied his career-high with 27. Bird has not played since Jan. 5, when he sprained his left ankle in a loss at New Jersey. ``It doesn't feel exactly right, but its good enough to play on right now,'' Bird said. ``I sat out the last few games, and I had to get back. It is hard to help your team win, and get back in championship form, when you are sitting on the bench.'' That is music to Kevin McHale's ears. ``Make no mistake, as Larry Bird goes, so go the Boston Celtics,'' said McHale. ``Larry is our best player, and if you take him away, you have a pretty average basketball team. It doesn't really take much to figure that out.'' Rice, a rookie forward from the University of Michigan, was not intimidated by Bird's presence. Rice said that at this stage, no one intimidates him. ``Bird is a great player, and he has a great release,'' Rice said. ``He was moving slow, and I knew that I could beat him to the hole tonight.'' Rice did that in the second quarter. He took a pass from Sherman Douglas at the right baseline. He then took the ball to the basket against Bird, and beat him for a layup. ``He will be one of the premier forwards in the league,'' Bird said of Rice. ``I watched him play in college last year, and he has really shown me a lot.''