Winning the NBA Championship might have been a dream for Hakeem Olajuwon
and the Houston Rockets, but for league officials and fans the 1994 Finals
were nothing short of a nightmare.
In the seven-game series between the Rockets and the New York Knicks,
neither team managed to score 100 points in any game.
Only once in the series did a team shoot 50 percent from the field.
The Finals had been a vehicle for Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic
Johnson to showcase their accelerated skills and athleticism. But in 1994,
that vehicle began to sputter and lurch as defenses started to deploy a more
physical style, often tolerated by officials.
The result was that the Finals earned only a 12.3 television rating, down
from a 17.9 share the Chicago Bulls-Phoenix Suns series had drawn in 1993.
The Finals were an extension of what happened during the entire ’93-94
season, when scoring declined from the previous year.
Last year, seven teams failed to average 100 points per game compared to
just two teams the year before.
Phoenix led the league in scoring for the second year in a row, averaging
108 points per game. That number was down from the 113 the Suns averaged in
1992-93.
Last year, 10 teams held opponents under 100 points per game on average,
compared to only three teams that did it the year before. The league had no
choice but to heed these hazardous conditions.
The NBA’s retort to this trend can only be considered downright offensive.
On Oct. 5, the league announced a series of rules changes (see Page 2)
designed to increase scoring and cut down on physical play.
The rules changes would likely benefit teams with athleticism and good
shooters and hinder teams with suspect shooting and less mobile defenders.
What does it all mean? A preview of ’94-95 season should help clear up
things:
Pacific Division
Let’s get right to the point, which is where this division might be
decided. Kevin Johnson, who has made NBA all-second team four times, guides
perhaps the NBA’s most athletic team, the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix acquired Danny
Manning from Atlanta in the offseason, forming a perfect match for the
physical Charles Barkley in the front court.
Joining Johnson in the backcourt is Dan Majerle and Danny Ainge, both
likely to flourish with the shorter 3-point line. Rookie Wesley Person will
get a lot of minutes.
A.C Green and Wayman Tisdale add front-court depth, which will be needed
because the Suns play Joe Kleine and Danny Schayes at center.
The Suns are deep and experienced. With Barkley proclaiming this is his
last year, there also is a sense of urgency.
In one five-game series, Seattle point guard Gary Payton ruined a year’s
worth of respect. Coach George Karl spent the entire season praising Payton
and his role in guiding the team to a league-leading 63 wins.
But in the Sonics’ first-round playoff loss to Denver, Payton’s leadership
came under question, especially by then-teammate Ricky Pierce. The result was
that Pierce ended up getting traded to the Warriors and doubts linger about
Payton’s poise and ability to play in the clutch.
Seattle was the best team in the NBA during the regular season last year,
and its only significant move was obtaining Sarunas Marciulionis from the
Warriors for Pierce.
They still have the explosive Sean Kemp and the underrated Detlef Schrempf
up front. Sam Perkins might be at the end of the line. Bill Cartwright, signed
in the offseason, definitely is.
Seattle still may be the best team in the league, last year’s tumble
notwithstanding. If Karl can keep this team on the same page, they’re as
dangerous as anyone.
Slowly but surely, Warriors point guard Tim Hardaway is showing signs that
his knee injury is behind him. A healthy Hardaway means the sky is the limit
for the Warriors, provided that Rookie of the Year Chris Webber, who should
see a lot of time at forward, eventually signs.
The Warriors added much-needed help up front with the addition of Rony
Seikaly and rookie Cliff Rozier should provide some added bulk.
Budding superstar and first-team All-NBA Latrell Sprewell, Chris Mullin and
Webber complete a starting five that can compete with anyone. Pierce is the
consummate sixth man.
Assuming Webber arrives in the near future and the team eventually gets
healthy, the Warriors are capable of giving any team in the league lots of
trouble.
Second-year point guard Nick Van Exel proved last year that he could excel.
He’ll direct a young team led by Vlade Divac, who’ll play a lot of forward,
and rookie-towatch Eddie Jones.
James Worthy, a shadow of his former self, averaged 10.2 points per game
and shot 40.6 percent from the field last year.
Portland’s Rod Strickland has evolved into one of the league’s premier
point guards. Entering his seventh season, Strickland was sixth in the NBA in
assists last year, averaging 9.0 per game, and also averaged 17.2 points per
game.
But it is quietly an aging Portland team, and Strickland can’t do it all by
himself. Buck Williams is in his 14th year, Clyde Drexler is in his 12th
season and Jerome Kersey is in his 11th year.
Cliff Robinson came into his own last year, but the Trail Blazers are one
injury away from a very long season.
Point guard Bobby Hurley should provide the Kings with an emotional lift
each time he steps on the floor. Hurley, who was seriously injured in a car
accident last season, should see a lot of time along with Spud Webb.
Hurley’s shooting is still poor and his defense questionable but his
intangibles can often make up for those deficiencies.
Mitch Richmond provides a legitimate superstar in the backcourt and the
front court has impressive rookies in Brian Grant and Michael Smith.
Jerome ‘Pooh’ Richardson will likely start at point guard for the Los
Angeles Clippers. Will it really matter? Probably not.
The Clippers won 27 games last year and Richardson, who is returning from a
shoulder injury, isn’t the kind of player to make that much of a difference.
But the UCLA grad is returning to the city where he played his best
basketball.
Cal grad Lamond Murray should pick up some of the slack left by Ron Harper,
who signed with Chicago. Loy Vaught and Gary Grant are the mainstays — and
that’s the problem.
Midwest Division
What do the Houston Rockets have to do to get respect? Win the Midwest
Division title? Did that. Win more games than all but one other team? Did
that. How about an NBA title? Did that, too.
Then why doesn’t this team get any support? Maybe because it doesn’t give
any to Olajuwon.
Last season, Olajuwon elevated his game to that rare level just beneath
Bird, Magic and Jordan. Unfortunately, it was at the expense of his team.
Olajuwon averaged 28.9 points per game last year during the playoffs.
Vernon Maxwell was next at 13.8 and he shot 37.6 percent from the field. Sam
Cassell was the only Rockets player other than Olajuwon to exit the playoffs
with a better reputation than when he entered them.
The Rockets were the worst team to win an NBA championship in more than 25
years, and they can’t blame it on the Knicks.
The Rockets were unimpressive before that. Olajuwon simply willed the
Rockets past Phoenix in a seven-game Western Conference semifinal. And what
more could a team ask than to play the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference
Finals?
Five games later, Houston found itself against the Knicks, a team with even
less firepower than itself. Houston didn’t win the title so much as Michael
Jordan, by his mere retirement, allowed them to have it.
Still, the defending champions should win their division, but another trip
to the Finals is unlikely.
As long as David Robinson is around, the San Antonio Spurs will be a
franchise with stability. But, on second thought, Dennis Rodman makes this
team unstable.
Rodman has been completely out of control during the exhibition season, and
has been suspended without pay indefinitely by the team. Willie Anderson, J.R.
Reid, Sean Elliott and Chuck Person form an adequate nucleus around Robinson.
But the problem is at point guard, where Avery Johnson and Vinny Del Negro
will share duty.
Denver proved last season what a young, exciting team can accomplish. The
Nuggets knocked off the best team in basketball in the first round then fell
to Utah in the second.
Dikembe Mutombo, Robert Pack, Bryant Stith, Rodney Rogers and injured
LaPhonso Ellis all have less than four years experience.
That’s the good news and bad. This team is dangerous and erratic.
The problem with the Utah Jazz is that they’re never so good that they’re a
threat to win it all, but they’re never so bad that they miss the playoffs
completely.
So each year, Utah advances to the playoffs and sometimes they win a couple
of rounds and sometimes they don’t. They never win it all and this year is no
exception.
It’s a familiar report: John Stockton at point, Karl Malone at power
forward and not enough around them. Where are this team’s young stars?
The Timberwolves and the Mavericks should engage in a spirited fight to
stay out of the Midwest basement. It may come down to which rookie can help
his team more: Jason Kidd in Dallas or Donyell Marshall in Minnesota. But in
the end, does it matter?
Central Division
Scottie Pippen might be no Michael Jordan but, by default, he is the Air
apparent. Despite swirling trade rumors and questions about his commitment,
Pippen remains in Chicago, and this year’s team will once again be in the
title chase.
The Bulls lost Horace Grant to the Magic, but signed still-explosive Ron
Harper and solid-if-not-spectacular Larry Krystkowiak. Bill Cartwright and
John Paxson are gone, but neither was effective last year.
B.J. Armstrong has become an experienced point guard and Toni Kukoc is only
getting better.
The Bulls are not old, it just feels that way. Of the Bulls who will see
the majority of playing time Harper (30) and Pippen (29) are the oldest.
Atlanta coach Lenny Wilkens did a magnificent job last year of getting the
Hawks to focus on defense. They finished the fourthbest defensive team in the
league a year ago and won the Central Division. But this year the problem will
be offense.
Forward Danny Manning is gone, and Dominique Wilkins is long gone.
What remains are solid players like Kevin Willis, Stacey Augmon and Mookie
Blaylock but not enough punch to repeat last season’s 57 wins.
Health care has been a major concern this year and nowhere is it more
important than in Charlotte. If the Hornets can stay healthy, they could
challenge for the division title.
Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson missed a combined 53 games last season,
and if that happens again Charlotte is in trouble.
Robert Parish provides a presence inside and Dell Curry and Hersey Hawkins
are consistent outside threats.
Muggsy Bogues and Michael Adams are waterbugs in the backcourt and could
give teams fits.
The Pacers will attempt to show that last year’s trip to the Eastern
Conference Finals was no fluke. But in reality, it probably was.
Reggie Miller is perhaps the league’s best shooter, Dale Davis is a comer
and Rik Smits gets better every year. Even still, the Pacers will be
hard-pressed to finish any higher than third in the Central.
Expect Detroit to one of the most improved teams in the league. Grant Hill
adds instant respectability and Joe Dumars is still one of the league’s best
two-guards.
Oliver Miller will be a boost in the middle and Allan Houston and Lindsey
Hunter are improving.
The Cavaliers, once a franchise capable of challenging the threetime
champion Bulls, now could be very close to completely revamping.
Brad Daugherty is out indefinitely with chronic back problems, Gerald
Wilkins is out for the season with a ruptured achilles and Larry Nance has
retired.
Mark Price shows no sign of slowing down, but he’s alone out there.
Over the past five years, no other team has been as humdrum as the Bucks.
With Glenn Robinson, Milwaukee has the opportunity to begin a slow climb up to
respectability. Without Robinson, who is currently holding out, it will be an
extremely long season.
Eric Murdock (15.3) is the team’s leading returning scorer and Vin Baker
(13.5) had an encouraging rookie year.
Atlantic Division
With the league’s emphasis on finesse rather than physical, the Orlando
Magic should be considered the favorite in the Atlantic Division.
Despite a disappointing firstround exit in last year’s playoffs, the
Magic’s 50 wins and the addition of Horace Grant, signed from Chicago, make
them the team to beat.
There is a tendency to minimize Shaquille O’Neal’s accomplishments but the
7-1 center finished second in the league in scoring (29.3), second in
rebounding (13.2), first in field goal percentage (59.9) and sixth in blocked
shots (2.85). He is the future of the Magic and the NBA, and both look good.
Orlando is loaded on the perimeter, too. Anfernee Hardaway was second to
Webber in Rookie of the Year voting, Dennis Scott will make a mockery of the
3-point line and Nick Anderson has become a reliable off-guard. Brian Shaw,
signed from Miami, is steady and should help.
The Magic is young, exciting and a little bit unsettled. But by year’s end,
this team should be battling in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Don’t expect the Knicks to completely disintegrate this season, although
most won’t mind if their style of play does.
The Knicks are still going to be ugly, just not as effective. Age will do
that to you. And if the officials enforce the hand-checking rules, the Knicks
are in bigger trouble.
Patrick Ewing is still among the league’s elite centers, though in his 10th
season time is getting more precious.
Charles Oakley, Derek Harper and Doc Rivers each have at least nine years
NBA experience.
John Starks is erratic but invaluable on this team and Anthony Mason has
become a symbol of the Knicks’ style.
Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward is competing for time and should get a
lot it. Coach Pat Riley is still one of the best in the business, but a great
opportunity escaped him last year.
The Miami Heat is a less-talented version of the Magic. They will miss
center Rony Seikaly, but Billy Owens complements a group of young players.
Steve Smith played on Dream Team II, Glen Rice is one of the league’s best
shooters and Harold Miner has flashes.
At best, though, this is a thirdplace team.
Be careful of that group of vagrants roaming near Exit 16W on the New
Jersey Turnpike: It’s the Nets.
They can sometimes be dangerous, both on and off the court. New coach Butch
Beard will have his hands full with the likes of Derrick Coleman, Benoit
Benjamin, Chris Morris, Dwayne Schintzius and Armon Gilliam.
Coleman is a third-team All NBA selection and Kenny Anderson is one of the
best point guards in the Eastern Conference. But outside of those two, the
Nets have no other player to provide consistency.
The three bottom teams in the Atlantic Division are among the league’s
worst. For Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, .500 is simply a rumor,
although all will benefit from being able to play the other two teams four
times each.
Dominique Wilkins will help the Celtics but not nearly enough.
If Shawn Bradley was the package that the 76ers had hoped would change its
fortunes, they were mistaken. The 7-6 center played in only 49 games last year
and will begin this year on the injured list.
The Bullets, who won just 24 games last year, still haven’t signed No. 1
draft pick Juwan Howard. Enough said.
