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BOSTON - Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring - especially not the Celtics, who got away with one when the Chicago Bulls collapsed in the las five minutes and bowed to Boston, 109-104, Sunday night.

This was a classic "ugly" win by the Celts, who trailed for virtually the entire game. In the last five minutes the Celts rescue the game with a 15-1 burst. Many Fans left the Building thinking the Bulls choked.

In any case, Boston haven't been playing well lately. Portland destroyed the Celts over a week ago, and there was a four point win over Atlanta last Tuesday. The Cleveland Cavs were all over them Saturday night, taking a 109-99 decision, and they could have easily lost to Chicago.

"I think everyone just wants to get

BOSTON - The victory was great it helped the Bruins to look ahead. And the light at the end of the tunnel was not an on going train.

"We were dying for a win," Said Coach Butch Goring after the Bruins broke their four-game winless streak with a 4-2 National Hockey league victory over the New York Rangers.

Center Ken Linseman, sidelined with a broken hand since November 21. Defenseman Ray Bourque, out since December 8 with a twisted ankle, should return Thursday night against the Hartford Whalers at Boston Garden, And Charlie Simmer, sidelined since November 10 with a knee injury, is expected to start skating again within a couple of weeks. "Hopefully, we'll soon be a health hockey team again," Goring said. "then we will get to see how we can play with the 19 guys we originally chose for our hockey team."

Dave Pasin broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period. Center Barry Pederson ended a scoring slump with histhrough the (regular) season, " DJ remarked. "We have an excellent team, and if there's anything that causes us to bumble, it's a lack of concentration. I've already seen it happen a few times this season."

The Celts can start in Chicago Tuesday night. After the Celts soft performance at the Garden, the Bulls will go into that one thinking that they should win.

11th and 12th goals, leading the Bruins past the Rangers before a crowd of 11.644 at the Garden.

"The big thing is that, with all the injuries to key players, we've hung in there," Goring said. "we've struggled, but we've fought. There have been a lot of games we could have lost, but the guys have hung in, refusing to quit."

"I'm happy I'm back playing again, but I'm not totally happy with the way the season has gone." said Pederson. "However, we sat down and evaluated my game, I went back to basics, getting my head Back into the game. My mental game is back and I've got my confidence back."

 You that there something was wrong with Milton McCrory when the Las Vegas ring Physician asked him where he was and he answered, "Somewhere out west."

McCrory said that he was drugged in his Dec. 6 loss to Donald Curry. Drug has nothing to do with it, and everything with the beating he took.

The standard post-fight urine test by the Nevada Athletic Commission came out negative. Chuck Minker said that McCrory didn't show any signs of being drugged in his locker room before the fight.

McCrory has no memory of the bout, and no proof of being drugged. Fighters are famous for rationalizing defeat. Muhammad Ali called upon a thyroid condition to explain his 1980 loss to Larry Homes. Roberto Duran lost the "No Mas" boat to Ray Leonard because of an upset stomach.

Boxing, in its precarious state of public disenchantment, could go under with a major drugging scandal.

Upcoming Fights

Dec. 17 - Sam David vs. Luigi Camputaro

Dec. 21 - Tyrell Biggs vs. Tony Anthony

Dec. 27 - Mike Tyson vs. Mark Young

WASHINGTON - President Reagan will meet House Republican leaders tomorrow to try to persuade them to turn around his faltering plan to overhaul the nation's income tax system, the White House said yesterday.

He will go to Capitol Hill when he return from ceremonies at Fort Campbell, Ky., honoring the US soldiers who died last week in a plane crash, a spokesman said.

Reagan suffered a major political setback last week when only a hand full of republicans joined an effort to bring a House vote on tax reform, his top legislative priority. The procedural move was defeated 223-202.

"This is one time politicians must be put aside on both sides of the aisle." Reagan asserted in his weekly radio address. "We're on the edge of a breakthrough that can bring personal income tax rates down to the lowest level in over 50 years."

The president began his address, delivered from the Oval Office, by speaking on the major initiative of his second tem in office. Democrats have said the tax initiative may die unless Reagan is able to get 50 GOP votes in the House for consideration of tax overhaul next week.

"I'd like to make a personal request to the House of Representative - you have the opportunity to provide the relief that millions of Americas demand," Reagan said, "if together, Republicans and Democrats would agree to a format fro considering this