Dick Bavetta’s first game as an NBA referee was a Celtics-Knicks game at Madison Square Garden was Dec. 2, 1975. The first game I covered as a writer with Dick Bavetta as an NBA referee also was a Celtics-Knicks game, almost 14 years later. The once-mighty Celtics were fighting to make the playoffs. Larry Bird had missed most of the season with a back injury. His replacement was Kevin Gamble, a second-year player already on his second team. Early on, there was