Boston jumped out to a 29–5 record, but were soon slowed by injuries to McHale (ankle) and Bird (back). McHale missed 14 regular season games and Bird missed 22, as the Celtics limped to a 27–21 record over the last three months of the season, giving them a 56–26 record and a division title. Boston defeated the Indiana Pacers in five games in a first-round playoff matchup, but in the next round - with Bird missing game one and never close to healthy in the series - for the third time in four years the Celtics were eliminated by Detroit, this time in a six-game semi-final series.