Three OTs Later, Celtics Win

February 18, 1999 / 3:20 AM EST / AP

A long night that lasted three overtime periods and almost four hours was decided by a simple play a pick-and-roll drawn up for Andrew DeClercq.

"It came out at the right time, I guess," said DeClercq, who completed a three-point play with 15.8 seconds left to seal the Boston Celtics' 131-129 triple-overtime victory over the Vancouver Grizzlies late Wednesday night.

"I was just looking at the front of the rim and it went in. We work on that play every day in practice, we do it in a game. It should go in. It's the timing of it that makes it so much more special," said DeClercq, who finished with seven points and was only in the game after Antoine Walker fouled out.

After Paul Pierce hit a jumper to cut the Grizzlies' lead to 129-127 with 50 seconds left, Vancouver gave up the ball on its next possession when Shareef Abdur-Rahim dribbled into a double team.

On Boston's turn up the floor, Dana Barros took the ball to the top of the key, waited for DeClercq to get open and then hit him with a bounce pass going to the basket.

DeClercq went up awkwardly, was fouled by Vancouver's Tony Massenburg and somehow banked the two-footer in off the board.

He drained the free throw and the Grizzlies never got another shot off. Boston's Paul Pierce slapped the ball out of Mike Bibby's hands, jumped on it and called timeout on the Grizzlies next turn up the court. After Kenny Anderson hit one of two free throws with 1.4 seconds left to make it 131-129, Pierce picked off Cherokee Parks' inbounds pass to end the game.

Pierce scored seven of his 26 points in triple-overtime and Antoine Walker and Ron Mercer had 27 points apiece before fouling out.

It was a reversal of fortune for two clubs that played the previous night.

While the Celtics were hungry after dropping a 101-98 decision in Sacramento, the Grizzlies were coming off a tiring 93-89 double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

"It was definitely a tough one for us, especially coming off last night," said center Bryant Reeves. "We both played in California last night, so they were in the same situation. But we had chances to win and we just didn't capitalize."

Added Grizzlies coach Brian Hill: "It was a great effort by our guys and a very difficult game to lose. I thought we had the basketball game won, but that's why they play right to the final second."

Neither team was able to hold on to a significant lead. The Grizzlies blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter as Barros set the game into overtime hitting a 3-point shot with 0.5 seconds left in regulation. The Celtics squandered an eight-point lead in the second overtime when Sam Mack hit a 3-point shot with 12.7 seconds left.

Vancouver set a franchise record for most points in a game, although their previous best of 121 minutes was set in a four-quarter contest. The Grizzlies set a team record for most free-throws made (4), most attempted (50) and the longest game, going 3:49.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored a career-high 39 points and also set a Vancouver record by playing 56 minutes. Grizzlies guard Mike Bibby scored a career high 23 points.

By the time the game was over, three Celtics Walker, Mercer and Eric Riley fouled out. The Grizzlies lost Bryant Reeves and Doug West, who both fouled out.

The Grizzlies blew an opportunity to win three in a row for only the second time in franchise history and improve to 4-3, the first time they would have been over .500 more than three games into a season in franchise history.

"I haven't had a drink yet this year. I'm going to go out for a nice cold soda somewhere and put me to sleep," Boston coach Rick Pitino said, laughing.

"I've never been involved in a game where a tired team makes so many big plays. It was really like a Rocky fight. Usually you see guys keep missing. But to keep making those shots, it was unbelievable," he said.

"It was gruelling but it was a lot of fun to be out there," said Pierce. "I'm in Fantasyland."

Notes: Boston's Antoine Walker, a career .558 free-throw shooter, went 2-for-8 from the line in the first half and finished 5-for-11. ... The Grizzlies have won three in a row once over a five-day span in January 1998. They've only won two or more straight nine times since entering the NBA in 1995-96. ... The Celtics, who trailed Vancouver 47-41 at halftime, have yet to lead after two quarters this season. And they've only led once after three quarters. ... Tony Battie got his second start of the year for Boston after Eric Riley started the last three games at center.