Basketball 1988-89 Friday, November 18,1 93315
A pairauy makes Hawks the best belt
By LANGSTON WERTZ
Stafl Writer
What's the key word in the NBA
this year? It's not Celtics, and it may
not even be Lakers. Perhaps the key
word in the National Basketball
Association should be parity.
Yes, that dreaded disease that has
plagued the NFL since Terry Brad
shaw and the boys in Pittsburgh
placed the fourth Vince Lombardi
trophy on the shelf in 1980 has
invaded the NBA bloodstream.
But unlike the NFL, fans may
welcome professional basketball
parity with a sigh of relief. In each
of the championship series in the 'SOs,
either Celtic green or Laker gold was
on display, and seven of the eight
championship banners bestowed in
this decade can be found in either the
Boston Garden or in the House That
Magic Rebuilt the Fabulous
Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
But last June, the Detroit Pistons
proved two things to the rest of the
NBA: 1) Boston could be conquered
and 2) The Lakers are teetering, ready
to succumb to the forces of mortality.
Detroit took Boston in the Eastern
finals before finally falling to the
Lakers in seven. And it took the best
performance of the James Worthy's
life to do keep the Pistons from
winning it all.
With the weaknesses of basketball's
Eastern and Western kings now
exposed, the princes and pretenders
are geared and ready to step in, into
the NBA Finals.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
1. Boston The Celtics are weary
and aging, but the Celtics are still the
Celtics. True, they are a bit older and
a step or two slower, but they are
still good enough to win the East.
New head coach Jimmy Rogers won't
run his first five into the hardwood
the way K.C. Jones did last season,
which means Boston should still have
some gas left for the postseason.
Add to the stew that Boston has
perennial all-pro Larry Bird, who just
signed a new two-year deal that has
him making upwards of 50K per
outing, and the Celts are still good
for 55 wins.
2. New York The Knicker
bockers brought in Charles Oakley
from Chicago to give Patrick Ewing
some rebounding relief. As a result,
Ewing should emerge as the NBA's
premier center this season. The
Knicks also return Gerald Wilkins
(17.4 ppg) and last season's rookie
of the year, Mark Jackson.
If Ewing gets any rest this season
and remains healthy, Jackson can
lead the Knicks (keep an eye on swing
n r n rr
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Division Champions
Atlantic Boston Celtics
Central Detroit Pistons
Midwest Utah Jazz
Pacific L.A. Lakers
Conference Champs
Eastern Atlanta Hawks
Western Dallas Mavericks
1989 NBA Champion
Atlanta Hawks
Most Valuable Players
East Michael Jordan
West
Karl Malone
forward Johnny Newman) past the
first round of the playoffs. .
3. Philadelphia The 76ers have
Charles Barkley, and Barkley basi
cally was all Philly had last season.
With David Wingate, Andrew Toney
and Albert King all trying their hand
at shooting guard in 1987-88, it was
obvious where the Sixers' weaknesses
were.
Philly picked up Hersey Hawkins,
Bradley's shooting sensation and the
NCAA's scoring king, in a three-team
trade on draft day, which means' the
2-spot should be-his. by late
November. Hawkins will join steady
Mo Cheeks in the solid Philly
backcourt.
4. Washington The Bullets let
go of Moses Malone this summer
after he failed to lead them to a title
run. So Malone and his 20.3 points
and 1 1 .2 rebounds are off to Atlanta,
leaving the Bullets with a sizable hole .
at center. .Washington has already,
traded thin man Manute Bol to
Golden State for 7-1 Dave Feitl.
And for now it looks as if the job
is Feitl's, a stiff and mechanical 240
pound chunk of NBA middle medi
ocrity. Yes, the Bullets have under
rated scoring machine Jeff Malone
at guard and yes, they do have
Bernard King, bad right knee and all.
But they don't have a center.
5. New Jersey "I don't think,"
said Nets' GM Harry Weltman, "that
well be picked to win our division."
That's a major understandment. The
Nets did pick up Auburn standout
Chris Morris and did give former
N.C. State center Charles Shackle
ford a home, but they only won 19
games in 1987-88, and another 60
loss season this year is somewhere in
sight.
6. Charlotte Yes, Minnesota,
Charlotte has an NBA team. But no
Miami, you guys won't be the only
ones with single digits in the win
. ...
column. The Hornets slipped by the
Clippers in only their third outing,
but Kelly Tripucka and Robert Reid
could be building snowmen in their
back yards before the Hornets win
another game.
First round draft pick Rex Chap
man will become a star eventually,
but for now he needs to stop shooting
25-footers while floating to one side.
Square up, son, from 20 and in. But
it doesn't much matter where Rex or
any of the other Hornets shoot it
from. '
Charlotte may have the biggest and
best arena, and then there's the cute
pinstriped and pleated uniforms. But
the Hornets are one of the NBA's two
babies, and they won't sting too many
people in their first 82 games.
Central Division
1. Detroit The Pistons haven't
lost anything from the team that
nearly won the title last year. Isiah
Thomas is back. Joe Dumars is back.
John Salley, Vinnie Johnson, Bill
Laimbeer ... everybody. Detroit
won 54 game in &7-& and should
win 60 this season.
Detroit has the personnel to go all
the way, and all of that personnel is
one year and one championship series
better. The Pistons picked up beefy
Fennis Dembo via the draft and he
could spell Adrian Dantley in the post
position.
Detroit has a new arena, grandly
named The Palace, in Auburn Hills,
Mich. The Pistons hope the Finals
will be held there.
- 2. Atlanta The Hawks have
added the two missing ingredients to
their championship soup a shoot
ing guard and a big-time, post-up
player. Reggie Theus and Moses
Malone now sport Atlanta red and
opposing coaches will see just that,
no longer able to double-team Domi
nique Wilkins.
Mike Fratello's bunch won't be
able to make Detroit see red enough
times, but the race should be tight.
3. Cleveland Last season, Mark
Price and Brad Daugherty came into
their own as professional players.
This year, they will become stars. The
Cavs also feature Ron Harper, who
when healthy reminds one of Air
Jordan.
1
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But even with a poor man's
Michael, Cleveland won't be able to
overcome the Hawks or the Pistons.
And they had better watch over their
shoulders.
4. Chicago Michael Jordan
keeps everyone in the NBA watching,
and if the Cavs aren't careful. Air and
the Bulls could slip into the No. 3
spot. But as it is, Chicago has added
Bill Cartwright and Will Perdue to
help solidify its paint crew. Scottie
Pippen has continued his steady
improvement, and Chicago has found
a point guard Sam Vincent who
can stick the I5-footer. Air. is, well
Air.
5. Milwaukee The Bucks fell to
42-40 last season after averaging 54.6
wins per year this decade. Even with
Sidney Moncrief back and healthy
again and the likes of Paul Pressey,
Terry Cummings and Jack Sikma.
the Bucks don't have enough
"uumph" to consistently beat their
Central foes.
6. Indiana Two years ago the
Pacers were 41-41 and looking
forward to a bright future. Last
season, Indiana went 38-44, and this
season, the Pacers will occupy the
Central cellar.
Star power forward Wayman
Tisdale is unhappy and on the trading
block. Center Steve Stipanovich is
sturdy -- but only sturdy enough to
get 13.5 points a night. There's not
much offense in Indianapolis and
not too many wins.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Midwest Division v
1. Utah The Jazz extended the
Lakers to seven games in the Western
semifinals last season, and that's
where Utah should start from this
year. They bring back Karl (The
Mailman) Malone, who is on the
verge of entering the NBA's elite club,
and John Stockton, as good a magic
less point guard as there is in the
leaguer The Jazz shouldn't have much
trouble winning the Midwest if they
play like they did at the end of last
season.
f glass mB
University Square, Chapel Hill
eat in 929-0296 takeout
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Vegetarian Sandwiches 0 Salad Bar -
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Homemade soups & chili o
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Conveniently located in downtown
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133 W. Franklin St. lunch and dinner
2. Dallas It's been said many
times that Mark Aguirre can only be
stopped by Mark Aguirre. He can be
invincible one night, upset and -sporadic
the next. When he's invin
cible, the Mavericks are a champion
ship team; when he's sporadic, they're
above-average. Aguirre will be spo
radic from time to time and too
often for the Mavs to topple Utah.
3. Denver The Nuggets were
good in 1987-88. Very good, at times,
in fact. They. added Walter Davis and
resigned Danny Schayes in the
offseason and they should be ready
for another run at the top of the
Western heap.
Unfortunately, for coach Doug
Moe's bunch of overachievers, the
Mailman will deliver for Utah too
often and the Mavericks will have
Aguirre the Invicible one night too
many.
. 4. Houston Rockets fans don't
have Bill Fitch or Ralph Sampson
to kick around anymore. They do
have Akeem Olajuwon and Eric
Floyd back, however.
Olajuwon continues to suffer from
his inability to pass and Floyd is still
too inconsistent. Maybe Otis Thorpe
will help.
, 5. San Antonio I he Spurs were
31-51 last season and may well finish
with 40 wins this year under new
coach Larry Brown, nee of the
Kansas Jayhawks. San Antonio
picked up Willie Anderson in the
draft, and Anderson could well be the
rookie of the year. He runs the court
well, can handle the rock and passes
it, too. He could play any of three
different positions for the Spurs.
If Johnny Dawkins can learn to
even pretend like he' going right
and open up the court more often
the Spurs, led by Alvin Robertson,
could knock off some people. If these
ingredients come together San Anto
nio could become a real spoiler in
the spring.
See NBA page 30