OCR Text |
Show ® Scoreboard D3 @ Business D6 @& Financial Markets D7 “Tuesday,May7, 1996 The Daily Herald Give Jazz a chance vs. Spurs Few so-called experts are picking the Utah Jazz to advance their Western Conference semifinal fight with San Antonio,a battle that begins tonight at 5 p.m. But these OLD Jazzmen do have a chance and some keys that could help progaosticators forget the Spurs dug the Jazz in three of four games this season. This is the No. 2-seeded Spurs against the No. 3 seed Jazz. On the Jazz side are the following pa series keys: @ The Jazz benchis signifi- cantly better right now than the regular season with Chris Morris, Familiarity breeds respect for Jazz, Spurs By KELLEY SHANNON Stockton had 2! points and {1 assists as Utah roswuted the Trail Blazers 102-64 The Spurs eliminated Phoeni Associated Press Writer SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs know the Utah Jazz well. And they know stopping Kart on Friday, then had to wa Malone and John Stockton is never easy. “We have seen them lot,”said Spars center David Robinson “They're going to bring some physical, precise basketball in here and we’vejust got to defend them.” The battle begins tonight, when the teams start their best-of-7 Western Conference semifinal at the. Alamodome. “It's going to be a tough games against the Jazz hey an ressive defensive team. But we're a little more athletic, and we like to beat them up and the floor whenever series,” Malone said “We're not going down there and just play on emotions. They've been waiting onus, and we're going down there with no excuses. The Jazz headed to Texas on Monday, a day after completing a 3-2 first-round victory over Portland. Malone scored 25 points and possible.” he said weekend fo learn who their n playoff opponent wouldbe. San Antonio and Utah metfour times in the regular season. The Spurs won the season series 33-1 although the one Jazz victory was on San Antonio's homecourt. The Spurs and Jazz last metin the play offs in 1994, when Utah ousted San Antonio inthefirst round 3-1 Spurs coach Bob Hill said he spent much of Sunday analyzing tapes of all four regular-season Stopping theJazz offenseis a challenge, Hill said, because key players ther a long time. y very, read off of one another very well and Malone and Stockton in the pick and rolls is always a prot Hill said Spurs point guard Avery John son described Stockton as the “prototype point guard” of the league “The main thing is you really 3-point barrage creates Sonic boom Sonics grab 2-0 By JiM COUR AP Sports Writer Sidelines The emergence of Ostertag as an offensive and defensive spark offthe bench could help Utah fend off the Admiral, David Robinson, by putting more bodies against the league MVP. With Felton Spencer, Greg Foster, Adam Keefe and Antoine Carr providing solid fouling fodder, the coming on ofOstertag allows Utah to be more physicalin the post. Ostertag averagedjust over three points a game in the regular season, but produced 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks per game against Portland, including a 12-point, 5-block outing in Game 2. In Game 5 with the Blazers, Jerry Sloan credited Ostertag with the best game ofhis career (eight rebounds, five blocked shots in 29 minutes). @ An emotional motivation of John Stockton, Karl Malone and Jeff Homacek (knowing time is Tunning out) could produce a solid 10-day runat the Spurs offensively. @ The Jazz are one ofthe top rebounding teamsin the NBA and while they were outrebounded by the Spurs by 4.8 during the seasonseries, the complete buttkicking of the Trail Blazers Sunday could have carryovertonight The Jazz need only break through once to bust up the Spur homecourt advantage and tonight may be the best chance. @ Malone appears to come to San Antonio with an attitude. Ontheother hand, the Spurs have some significant advantages in matchups. ®@ Robinson, unlike Arvydas Sabonis, is an active shot-blocker and poses a big problemdefensively for the Jazz. @ The Spurs’ up-temporun- ning gamewill spread out the Jazz and could takeits toll during road games in San Antonio of which there will be four. ® The inside-outside attack with Robinsonin the post and shooters SeanElliott, Avery Johnson, Vinny Del Negro and Chuck Person will spread out Utah. @ The Spurs’ defense proved pesky for Utah, coming up with 28 steals and 23 blocks in the four games with the Jazz. Malone washeld to 19.8 points and 420 field goal shooting in those games, Another problem for Malone is the acquisition in midseason of Charles Smith. Phe one-twopunch of Robinson and Elliott (averaged 48 points combined against the Jazz), is constant and proven. One ofthe key injures in this series is the health of Doc Rivers, who will be pressed with Del Negro to shut down Homacek. Rivers is suffering fromlower back spasms and missed games 3 and 4 ofthe first round series with Phoenix. The Spurs come at ‘!tah wellrested after polishing off the poor outside-shooting Suns 3-1. With Robinson against all Jazz centers an obvious benchmark matchup, watch how Stockton guards the quicker Johnson in the backcourt. Johnson and Del Negro combined for a 3.71 to1 assist to turnover ratio this season, handing out 1,104 assists while turning the ball over just 295 times. That ratio was second onlyto Stockton and Homacek (3,37 to 1 ratio). But Johnson had the best assist to turnover ratio of any Starting point SEATTLE — It was bombs away for the Seattie SuperSonics, and the Houston Rockets’ chances of an NBA three-peat took a broadside hit. With a sizzling 74 percent playoff-record 3-point shooting barrage, Seattle now has the twotime defending champions going back to Texas wonderingiftheir title runis over After their 105-101 victory over Houston on a Monday night when they were better fromthe 3-point line than they were the free throw line, the Sonics hold a 2-0 leadin their Western Conference semifinal series. Nothing surprises me any more with this team.” Seattle's Hersey Hawkins said. “Not our 64 wins during the regular season, not our 3-point shooting in this game. Nothing.” The Sonics, through the first roundofthe playoffs for the first time inthree years, sank 20 of 27 3-pointtries,including 13 ina row. Thai broke the Rockets’ play offrecord of 19 3s set last season in the opening round against Utah. It didn’t do anythin; for Houston’s spirits, eithe “Hopefully, Seattle won't keep shooting like this.” Houston's MarioEliesaid. “Butif they do Tonight, its Utwh at San Antonio in the opener of their second-round series. and New York at Chicago in Game 2 of their series, The Bulls won the first game 91-84 Sunday On Wednesday. Atlantavisits Orlando in the opener of their second-round matchup. Nate McMillanendedthefirst quarter Monday night with a 3pointer with 1.7 seconds to go. The Sonics sank seven more in the secondperiod to tie a playoff record and had five more in the third quarter. Detlef Schrempf finally missed a 3-point try at the start ofthe fourth quarter. “Everybody wasin a groove,” said Hawkins,his team’s leading regular-season 3-point shoot “All year long we've beentak the 3-point shots when they've been there Everybody Was just feelingit in this game. Duringthe Sonics shot 36 percent point range. Their best 3- point game was a 12-for-20_ perfor- mance (60 percent) against Orlandoon March 13. TheSonics missed five of 16 free throws (68 percent) against Antoine Carr, a former Spur forward who now plays for Utah said he wasready for the challenge of facing his old team. He spent lit tle time celebrating theJazz vict ry over Portland. We don’t have time to enjo this,” he said. “It is time to g work out get some things ready look at some film and study thos guys. Get ready to see what wecar do to cut themoff.” Cougars eye playoff series By DOROTHY KNOELL The Daily Herald Assistant Sports Editor lead on Rockets Bryon Russell and Greg Ostertag finding key roles. to work hard,” Johnson said ere’s not one time during the 24-second clock where you car whatx because that’s where they bea’ ou. They're a very simple teambu they tun everythingtoperfection AP Photo Seattle's Gary Payton flies up and over the back of Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon (34) during the the Rockets in Game 2 Howdoyouexplain it? Coach George Karl couldn't We shot the ball unbeliev ably.” he said. is Wetook ahell of a shot from the Houston Rockets and we're still standing Houston wasn't bad from beyond the 3-point ure itsel! The Rockets were 13-for-27, giving the Sonics and Houston aplsayott record for combined 3-pointers in a game (33). MeMillan continued his daz first quarter of Monday's ff game. The Sonics grabbed a 2-0 series alewith a 105-101 win. aling perimeter playoff shooting by hitti all five of his 3s, tying an NB A record shots are there and my legs feel pretty good.” McMillan said In his first 10 seasons in Seat tle, he shot 21 percent (16 of 74) in 69 playotf games. In six games against Sacramento and Houston, he’s 14 for 19 (74 percent) They must make 30 3s in order wo © home. McMillan said he’s benefited fromtheextra work For a month or so, my shot has beenfalling.” he said By beating Houston for the lith consecutive time since March 10, 1994, including six this season, the Sonics are in a position to sweep the Rockets. Games 3 and 4 will be playedin Houston “‘Pve always felt IT could shoot the ball.” McMillan said Karl has had his players shooting extra 3s after practices. The Rockets reminded every one that they overcame 0-2 (See SONICS, Page D2) on Friday night and Sunday The regular seasonis over, after 9-7 and 5-4 sweep of a doublehead er at Souther Colorado Monday Now comes postseason play for the BYU baseball team andth length of that postseason depends upon winning “We°Te excited to extend our season.” said BYU coach Gary Pullins after his Cougars clinched the WAC’s Eastern Division crown Saturday with a 30-13 vic tory at Wyoming. “The kids have worked hard this year, they've taken their lumps. But [| think we've grownfromthat How muchthey've grown will be displayed Thursday, Friday and Saturday when the Cougars play host to 12th-ranked (Baseh America) and |Sth-ranked (Coll giate Baseball) Cal-Northridgei the best-of-three WACPlayoffs the BYU diamond. The Thursday and Friday games will be at 3 p.m. Saturday's game, if necessary, will be « noon. Tickets are $5 for the gener al public and $3 for students, with a $10 tournament pass available BYU season passes will not be honored and there will be no advance sale or reserved seating Tickets are available theday of the game. All WACPlayotf games will be broadcast live on KSRR 1400 AM. The winner of the WAC Playoffs advances to a “play-in game at the home of the West Coast Athletic Conference cham pion, which will be either Pepper dine or Santa Clara. The winner of that game earns an automatic berth to the NCAARegionals. Northridge, 45-14 on the year, waspicked tofinish only fourth in the Western Divisionin pre: polls, while the Cougars. 37-17 this season, were the preseason favorites in the Easter Division Both Northridge and BYU have lost to top-ranked Cal-Fullertor this year (BYU three times, 6-2 na0, 3-0) and Northridge once(4 }, While both teams beat Cal-San Bemardine (BYUtwice, 9-5, 6-4 and Northridge once, !4-4). Those are the only common opponents for the two teamsthis year. Pullins isn’t taking the Western Division championslightly. “Northridge is a formidable ve,” Pullins said. “They are a good hitting team with tremen dous power. They will be a real challenge for our ballpark “They started out hot and I sus pect they've had more ups and downs than we have.” The Cougars, meanwhile, had their own share of bumps in the road, none bigger than a three(See COUGARS,Page D2) Walker, Livin gston join underclass NBA exodus By The Associated Press Kentucky's Antoine Walker and Sox finally shut down Buzz tucky won the national championship. He said he was leaving By TONY REYNA Special to The Daily Herald blitzel has had the Buzz’s num- SALT LAKECITY last year, Hawolitzel had a 1.80 ERA in three appearances against Salt Lake while yielding just three hits. Hawblivel also went on © Win (Wogames against the Buzz in the Pacific Coast League playoffs, including a winin relief in the championship game. “We faced a pitcher tonight with a lot better control than we're The eurly to provide financial LSU's RandyLivingston joined the school support for his family, which Salt Lake Buzz finally ran out of includes a |-year-old daughter “His motive for leaving is the proper motive.” coach Rick Pitino said. “He is leaving to fulfill a dream and to help his family out After scoring 39 times in the first two games of the senes against Colorado Springs, the Buzz were held tojust six hits in falling to the Sky Sox 3-1 Mon day night at Franklin Quest Field. “Wewere just as aggressiveas we were the last couple of nights, exodusof underclassmen goingtothe NBA.Kansas’ Jacque Vaughn found @ poetic reason tostay in school. Walker and Livingston announced Monday they are pass- ing uptheir remaining two years of college eligibility to enter the NBA draft. But Vaughn. an honor student, decided to remain at Kansasfor his senior year. I'm behind that 100 percent. Sit ting in his seat, if i was me, 1 would makethe same decision.” Pitino said he thought Walker would be one of the top 10 picks in “As Robert Frost said, “To take a path less traveled,” “said the June 26 draft Vaughn, a slick guard who was ate Big Eightplayer ef the year last season. “I really feel thet wanted to, takea stand and be a different person.” Walker, a 6-foot-8 forward averaged 15,2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season as Ken- “He's got the total pac Pitinosaid. “He is going to a flat-out, great pro. There's no doubt in my mind.” leaves Walk ers departure another hole at Kentucky, whieh lost ‘Tony Detk, Walter MeCarty (See EXODUS, Page D2) runs, Colorado Springs did all the ber. During the regular season scoring it would need in the top of the first inning before Salt Lake starter Travis Miller registered the first out. RBI singles by Angel Echevarria and Alan Cocrell gave the Sky Sox a 2-0 lead. But after loading the bases, Miller struck out Jorge Brito and got David Kennedy to fly out. Pedro Castellano was thrown out at second base on Kennedy's fly usedto and he had us swinging at out to end the inning but not very patient,” said Salt alot of his pitches. He's definitely The Sky Sox added another Lake manager Phil Roof. “As a got our number,” Roof said. tun in the fifth on Billy White's result we gave thema lot of easy Hawblitzel wasn’t the only first home run of the outs, I don’t want our players to Sky Sox pitcher keeping the Lake stop being aggressive, I just want Buzzoff balance. After going 6 themtobe a hitthe more selective 1/3 innings, Scot Fredrickson, Give credit totheir pitcher [Ryan Bobby Jones and by Alston Hawhblitzel]. He did a good job of mopped things up holding keeping us off bala Salt Lake hitless overa final 2 It isn't the first time that Haw- 2/3 innings. |