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Show Sunday, December26, 1999 . The Salt Lake Tribune NBA As the new millennium looms, Bryant, Iverson, Duncan, Garnett and Carter make up the. . . Five for the Future Even With Three Scorers, Lakers Still One Unit BYPATRICK KINAHAN if ‘THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE BY PATRICK KINAHAN SA b Michael Jordan is on the tee box, tryto consistent break 80. Chark ee PALS LARS TRIBUNE Me tarts one One ball. Two baskets. Three scorers, Can it mesh? So far, the answer is a resounding yes. < Two months into the NBA season, reer fading to black. The Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era is a dusty memory, relegated to re- runs on the Classic channel. A few geezers are still out there, but the NBA is going young as the new mil- eoee at Jennium beckons this week. + O ee Glen Rice are combining aareae to average Me President sench, rch iabeing eae tion ofNBA players. almost 70 points a game. The jealousy Orin aiiltend See ee eketing ait gokied Genes? With the four-year college player be- peeranartthas coming obsolete, the NBA is full of play- | Without the injured Bryant, the ers several years shy of their 25th birth- Lakers started the season 11-4, includ- day. Using age 25 as the cutoff, here is a ing two wins over the Jazz. Bryant, lineup the NBA is banking on to carry wonderkid, only added to the chemistry upon his return. With Bryant, the Lakers are 12-1. @ 1. Kobe Bryant, guard, Los Angeles Lakers, the talented but sometimes selfish the league into the next century: The world is now finding out why Jerry Westfell in love with Bryant after watching him in a predraft workout. West added to his reputation as the Teague’s best general manager, even if that is not his official title, by trading On L.A’s recent four-game road sweep, Bryant averaged 27.8 points a game while shooting 47.5 percent. The Lakers have improved in vir- tually every statistical category with Bryantin the lineup. At least one person didn’t fret about Bryant causing problems. Viade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for Byant, whowas the 13th pick of the 1996 “I never was concerned aboutit,” uae said after a prac- The son of former NBA player Joe “Jelly Bean” Bryant, the 21-year-old is a Still only 21 years old, Bryant can marketing dream. Fluentin It , Bryant has thestuff to try to emulate Jordan. go off on his own sometimes. But he has reeled in the isolation game that “He's great,” said Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, “way more mature than I alienated his teammates. ever could have imagined a 21-year-old to be.” All you need to know about the Golden State Warriors: They drafted Todd Fuller Against Minnesota last week, Bry- ant had 12 assists to go with his 28 points. “A lot of times Kobe will take his own lead out there and I understand ahead that,” Jackson said. “I understand that he’s got to be able to read on his own, and that’s very important. @2. Allen Iverson, guard, Philadel- ‘That’s why [Ron] Harper’s out there phia 76ers. ‘with him, because [Harper]'s got a cool hand, he knows whatI want, and Spoiled brat or superstar? A whole bunch of questions surround Iverson. With the cornrows, tons ofjewelry and he knows howto organize the offense fn ways that are subtle and are D ofBiiryant. Bryantis averaging 22.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and4.2 assists a game. an armful of tattoos, Iverson comes off ” During Bryant’s seven-week ab- cold. Yet few could deny his talent. “I believe God gave me mytalent and gence, he boned up on Jackson's tri- gifts,” said Iverson, the league’s leading angleoffense. scorer. “I’ve just taken advantage of it “My teammates, I feel pretty com- and made myselfbeter. WhenI play,I feel fortable with them,” Bryant said. “I kmow where theylike things and what like I did when I was a kid in the park. I @ general of this offense and setting things up and when to set them up, feel the energy of the game.” For Iverson, 24, to achieve his potential he must do three things: stay out of trouble, get along with his coach and win and kind of line the defense up and knock them down. That’s just going to a championship. Iverson's numbers:29.4 points,4.3 re- come as we play more and more bounds,4.2 assists. their timing is, what their rhythm is. It’s just a matter of becoming more of together.” l 3. Tim Duncan, center, San Antonio Spurs. Duncan is the All-American kid from the Virgin islands. College basketball's Q Kill the Messenger During the Tim Howells resignation press conference last week, Jazz Miller mildly chided best player in his senior year at Wake Bill Kostroun/The Associated Preos Forestin 1996-97, Duncan has The Philadelphia 76ers’ Allen Iverson (3)will take a fat scoring average into the next millennium. thattitle to the NBA. In only his second season, led carried the Spurs to the championshiplast June. this season. iting to his team’s record, be- Duncan made David Robinson distinguished on how their teams played,” he said. “what really distinguished Michael, Larry and Magic was bald ex-Tar Heel. But at 22, Carter is a Like Bryant, Garnett blew off college for At 23, Garnett already is in his fifth that their teams won, and they were Carter needs to be consistent and play “Da Kid” is the man, behind Duncan. a champion. Bestof all, Duncan does it all with his mouth shut. At 23, Duncan is old school. the NBA Finals,only four of the NBA. NBA season.His timing could not have son’s lockout, which resulted in a salary frustrat t.”” Hoareoatines and probably the Jez can play with any- four last week's Eastern gombined 45-59 record. rebounds,4.6 assists. Toronto Coach Butch Carter sail with intensity on defense each game. “This is a dream,” said the league’s reigning rookieof the year. “This is what you alwaysthink about. Every time you say, ‘Well, whenI get in the NBA,I'm go. thinking thathe’s not intense,” Robinson * Duncan’s numbers: 23.8 points, 133 @5. Vince Carter, forward, Toronto million deal with Minnesota. No wonder he has a tattoo that that gays, “Sky’s the limit.” Air Canada has breathed life into the Raptors since coming out of North Caro- ing to be a star.I’m going to be oneof the, f best players.’ Whenit actually happens, 4. Kevin Garnett, forward, Minnesota Timberwolves. _for success. “Great A regular on the nightly highlights, Carterflies through the air like another Carter’s numbers: 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds,3.2 assists, th t ERR theybeaton But Garnett understands the standard players JAZZ STATISTICS were a three Garnett’s numbers: 21.9 points, 12.6 scale for veterans, Garnett signed a $125 rebounds, 3.0 assists. one in the Western Conference. But Utah its problems. SE a game,a figure that out greatparts of that.” been better. Two years before last sea- long way from Jordan. are always Raptors. _lina after his junior year in 1998. it’s a whole different situation. Miller Continues To Be Lakers ° ° STARING, SEA NASTHAN CONTERENCR 5 ameterUanwerescmbinct 48-28. eT nee Oh Oo Si feueer tlrormenn,976 &356 o's Thorn in Side of Knicks Beat Spurs,3) 34 Homacek 26° 30.5 190-286 489 16-90 137 23 Canis a 4 Eley 28 232 Ostevtag 25 20.1 ¢ a ‘i 42 Polynins 26 7% 85121 Ven 23 102 37 Padgett (me a ae me got ee Team 20 2400 925-102 He had @ tate Homecck 2 Russet 2 percent. ogee he ls a grout funtasyleague fone os 48 18 11 21 44 «10 Veg pareoftbenion,ieChicapDale of De rae es rene sem 1 26 a a 2 3 18 oS 70 a 3% are 710 2346 90.2 105 pr oa sy To ex oP oF Oo a ei 7 27 S 88 *°1 2 2 fe 42 2 Yor a ree A turnovers during the run. Miller soored 26 points Yue 7 101-90 victory in the first : Oey 8 Continued from B-1 fer ti et ‘Chartote ae} Washington, ee) tiene a me ES ive 1m ‘Toronto Ce ‘os 1%1 perhaps they ever Dat tos : te 8 fy, dreamed of playing. 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When Jordan took 31 to 816 214 $80 121 +9 00D 448 24 102578 87-38 10 eeaeeee 10 rt AY 721 72 36 1 ew oy el as i2year career, added a Tama “nt'co pa we 8 fame ee te 404 O6240 08-664 74 2441 990115 Might with an impressive = Rime OO fe8 fe& ue so | og 0 8 ar 43 ference rivals, who bat: “te Angeles responded by go- fru’ Me 87 4 Os o 1 7 2 2 fled through sixgame Bede Sex 6 Geir § Cut. ing on a 14-4 spurt, Bry- Pow ee weekianak 7 ke 31-38 A i be ta Jost ‘« Tes Iverson leads the league in scoring eee eee ee ae AW 1848 564 OD i 28 240.0 867-1960 1960Am E80 SO7-714 Opp assists. 50 oncewhen I was in ® Song Si is GS RS Mg tesmcurorms oetatty wotney NoW23-5 ith Despite missing 10 games wi st %, Philadelphia Iverson has taken 124 more than any teammate going into Toeshy) on Nets. ° ls |
