Bird leads Celts in a brawl game

BOSTON Boston's Danny Ainge had been bounced for fighting andAtlanta coach Mike Fratello had wiped a scotch and soda from his browbefore slapping the glasses off a loudmouth Celtic fanatic.

Larry Bird then defined basketball's version of the sweetscience.

Bird stopped a frantic Atlanta comeback with 12 of Boston's final 15 points as the Celtics surgedto a 119-108 victory last night in Game 2 of their Eastern Conferencesemifinal match at Boston Garden.

Bird finished with a game-high 36 points and the Celtics movedahead 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, but all eyes and ears wereaimed at the evening's major participants in two wild incidents.

With …