NBAPLAYOFF PREVIEW UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, April 26, 1995
1
Pacers, Spurs on fire going into first round
By Wendy E. Lane The Associated Press
Note; First round is best-of-five; all other rounds are best of seven
A capsule look at the best-of-five first-round NBA playoff matchups, which begin Thursday night:
No. 8 Boston at No. 1, Orlando
Season series: Orlando wint 3-2.
KEY
Knight-Ridder Tribune
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Boston: Dino Radei (17.2 points, 8.7 rebounds), Sherman Dougas (14.7 points, 6.9 assists), Dominique Wilkins (17.8 points). Orlando: Shaquille O'Neal (29.3 points, 14.4 rebounds, 53 percent foul shooting), Anfernee Hardaway (20.9 points, 7.2 assists), Morace Grant (9.7 rebounds), Demis Scott (12.9 points, off the 43 percent 3-point shot)
**OUTLOOK:** After having the league's best record most of the season, the魔术 stumbled down the stretch, losing 6 of 1.1 in April. But now the team is healthy now.
**Prediction:** Magic in three.
No. 7 Atlanta at No. 2 Indiana Season series: Indiana won 4-1.
KEY PLAYERS
Atlanta: Bama Baylock (17.2 points, 7.7 assists, 2.5 steals), Steve Waller (16.3 points). Indiana: Reggie Miller (19.6 points), Rik Smits (17.9 points, 53.3 percent goal shooting), Dale Davis (9.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks).
OUTLOOK: After beating Atlanta in the second round on the way to the Eastern Conference final last year, the Pacers are confident they can get at least that far again.
Prediction: Paces in three.
No. 6 Cleveland at No. 3 New York
Season series: Teams split 2-2.
KEY PLAYERS
Cleveland; Tyrone Hill (13.8 points, 10.9 rebounds), Mark Price (15.8 points, 91 percent foul shooting), John Williams (12.6 points).
New York: Patrick Ewing (23.9 points, 11.0 rebounds), John Starks (15.3 points, 217.3 pointers), Charles Oakley (8.9 rebounds).
OUTLOOK: Despite the season split, these are two teams moving in opposite directions.
New York won eight of its last 10, and the Cavaliers lost 14 of their last 15 road games amid mounting injuries. Prediction: Knicks in four.
No. 5 Chicago at No. 4 Charlotte
Season series: Charleston 3-2
KEY PLAYERS
Chicago: Michael Jordan (26, 9 points, 43 point field goal shooting), Scott Piper (21, 4 point rebounds), 2, 2 assists, 2, 9 steals).
Kuco (15, 7 points, 4, 6 assists).
Charlotte: Alonzo Mourning (21, 3 points, 9, 9 reboundes, 2, 9 balls), Larry Johnson (18, 8 points), Muggsy Bogues (11, 1 points, 8, 7 assists).
OUTLOOK: Jordan came back from retirement for one reason — the playoffs. In his 17 games, the Bulls were 13.4. The Homestars 'biggest task was to watch and watch him.
Prediction: Bulls in four
WESTERN CONFERENCE
No. 8 Denver at No. 1. San Antonio
season series: San Antonio won 4-1.
Denver: Dikembe Mutombo (11.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.9 blocks), Reggie Williams (13.4 points), Jalen Rose (8.2 points, 4.8 assists)
San Antonio: David Robinson (27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 53.3 field goal shooting), Dennis Rodman (16.8 rebounds), Avery Johnson (13.4 points, 8.2 assists), Ellen Scott (18.1 points).
**OUTLOOK:** In disarray following Dan Issel's **RESIGN**, the Nuggets gained new life under a new coach BERNie Bickerstaff, culminating with their win over Sacramento to make the playoffs. He also added the stretch and have taken the last four games against Denver. **Prediction:** Spurs in four.
No. 7 Portland at No. 2 Phoenix
PLAYERS: Phoenix w/ 5-0.
KEY PLAYERS:
Portland: Rod Stickrod (18.9 points, 8.8 assists), Otis Tharpe (13.5 points, 6.9 rebounds), Clifford Robinson (21.3 points).
Phonics: Charles Barkley (23.0 points, 11.1 rebounds), Kevin Johnson (15.5 points, 7.9 assists), Dan Magente (15.6 points, 19.3 points) (21.3 points)
OUTLOOK: The Suns fatered after losing Danny Manning but won eight of their last nine down the裤 with a healthy Johnson. Look for Barkley, who averaged 26.3 points after the All-Star break, to be even more dominant in what is likely his last playoff.
No. 6 Houston at No. 3 Utah
Season series: Utah won 3-2.
KEY PLAYERS
**Houston:** Hakeem Olaijawan (27, 8 points), 10, 8 rebounds, 3, 4 blocks). Clyde Driever (21, 4 points). Veron Maxwell (13, 3 points).
**Uthark:** Karl Malone (26, 7) points, 10, 6 rebounds, 54 percent field goal shooting). John Stockton (14, 7) points, 12, 3 assists, 54 percent field goal shooting). Antoine Carr (9, 6 points off the bench).
OUTLOOK This is a rematch of the 1994 Western Conference finals, won by Houston in five games. But this Utah team has won a club record 60 games and taken the last three meetings with the Rockets, including two games last week. Prediction: Jazz in five.
No. 5 Los Angeles Lakers at No. 4 Seattle
Season series: Los Angeles won 4-1.
KEY PLAYERS
Los Angeles: Cedar Cabellos (21.7 points, 8.0 rebounds), Nick Van Eiren (16.9 points, 8.3 assists) Viade Divac (16.0 points, 10.4 rebounds).
Seattle: Shawk Kemp (18.7 points, 10.9 rebounds), Gary Payton (20.6 points, 7.1 assists, 2.5 steals). Diefrem Schafpfir (19.2 points, 51 percent 3-point shootout).
**OUTLOOK:** Seattle got a理智 boost from a 16-point win at the Forum on April 18 after four straight losses to the Lakers. A young Los Angeles lost its focus at season end, dropping 7 of 8 again a surprisingly strong season.
**Prediction:** SuperSeniors in five.
Jordan to help Chicago hit NBA playoff bull's-eye
CHICAGO — Larry Brown, former Kansas basketball coach, picks the Chicago Bulls to win the NBA title, not exactly a vote of confidence for his own Indiana Pacers.
Allan Bristow's Charlotte Hornets meet the Bulls Friday in the opening round of the playoffs. "Somebody's got to do it," he said.
The Associated Press
Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Dun-
leavy sees weaknesses in the Bulls lineup, but he also sees enough strengths to declare: "They can win it."
Chicago, ordinary for 65 games, has become the NBA's team to beat in the eyes of many observers.
The Bulls' Michael Jordan, who averaged 26.9 points in his 17 games back, is quite an eye-opener.
you can see why the Bulls have picked up the pace. It's just amazing
how much he has lifted that team." Bristow said. "The way they're playing now, they would have won 60 to 65 games."
The Bulls, 34-31 before Jordan came out of retirement, finished with a13-4 flourish.
And while the Bulls play down the favorite role — after all, they say, they probably won't have home-court advantage in any round of the playoffs — they realize that they are
more than a 47-win team.
"Before, we were expected to win. We were the odds-on favorite a number of years," said Phil Jackson, who coached the Bulls to NBA titles in 1991, 1992 and 1993 before Jordan retired.
"We've won 47. We know where we're at," he said. "But we've had a string where we've been as hot as anybody in the league at the end of this year."
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