Anderson Beats Pitino At Own Game

April 15, 1998 / 12:14 AM EDT / CBS/AP

By the time the clock showed less than a minute left, Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino resorted to distracting his favorite pupil.

"Behind you, D.A.!" Pitino yelled to Cleveland's Derek Anderson.

It was no use. Anderson swished the jumper with the game already decided, and the Cavaliers beat the Celtics 95-86 Tuesday night to clinch at least sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

How was Anderson's reunion with Pitino, his former coach at Kentucky?

"Good," said Anderson, who had 15 points. "We won."

Shawn Kemp had 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Cavs' 46th victory, four more than last year's total after changing the entire starting lineup. Cleveland remained two games behind Atlanta, which beat Philadelphia 95-94 Tuesday night.

Antoine Walker led the Celtics with 31 points, but Boston was only 11-for-17 from the free throw line. Cleveland made 31-of-40.

The Cavs survived the hectic Boston pressure and beat the Celtics for the third straight time despite attempting taking only 58 shots. They attempted 53 the last time the teams played here on Nov. 29 an NBA record nobody noticed until Tuesday night.

"They make you play an ugly style of basketball," Kemp said.

Anderson made 4-of-5 from the field, 7-of-8 from the line and had five assists.

"Derek Anderson has always been one of my favorite ball players," Pitino said. "I absolutely loved coaching him every day. He has such great charisma, great style. He goes to the basket with his life on the line.

"I'm not recruiting him right now, although I'd love to see him in a Celtics uniform."

Anderson and Pitino embraced at halfcourt after the final buzzer.

"He just told me he was proud of me," Anderson said. "And I said, `Thanks.' "

Ron Mercer had 22 points for Boston, while Walter McCarty the other member of the Kentucky Connection was held to 5. The Celtics dropped to 12-28 on the road.

The Cavs still don't want to talk about the playoffs. If they remain sixth, they will play Indiana.

"We better worry about the rest of the regular season," Kemp said.

Added Anderson, "We've had a good season. A lot of people have a good season."

While Pitino's team is out of the playoff picture, he said the Cavs have a chance to knock off Larry Bird's Pacers.

"They haven't played like an inexperienced team," Pitino said. "Guys like Derek Anderson and Brevin Knight can't be considered rookies. They play like seven-year veterans."

After trailing by as many as 11 in the first half, the Celtics ran the Cavs ragged early in the third. Walker cut it to 54-50 with a putback at the 7:02 mark, then gave the Celtics their first lead since early in the second with spinning baby hook that made it 61-60 with 2:56 left in the period.

The Cavs didn't make a field goal in the final 2:36 of the third and led 69-66 going into the fourth.

But Anderson gave his former coach fits by sparking the Cavs just like he did in the first half. The rookie made a three-point play, two free throws and a 17-foot jumper while Kemp threw down two dunks to give the Cavs an 83-76 lead with 7:36 left.

Danny Ferry, who had 11 points, converted a three-point play on a putback that sent Pitino into a foot-stomping rage, and Wesley Person delivered a 3-pointer that made it 90-80 with 5:14 remaining.

Notes: Boston got to the foul line only once in the first half a make by Mercer and Cleveland led 46-38 at halftime. ... Cleveland guard Bob Sura left with a mild concussion. ... Attendance was 14,775 in the only game of the season that coincides with an Indians baseball game at Jacobs Field across the street. Roars could be heard periodically from luxury suites where fans were watching the baseball game. ... The Celtics signed forward Reggie Hanson for the rest of the season. ... Each team had 14 turnovers in the first half. ... The Celtics came in with 739 fewer free throw attempts than their opponents. ... Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland's 7-foot-3 center, had one rebound.