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Show 1 THE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL. SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY. MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1996 NB A PRE v1E w n~ Sonics are still the team to beat on the Coast By TIIE ASSOCIATED PRESS A capsule look at the NBA for the 1996-97 season, in predicted order of finish. Western Conference PACIFIC DIVISION Seattle SuperSonics LAST SEASON-64-18, lost 4-2 to Chicago in NBA Finals. COACH-George Karl, 6th season with Sonics, 266-104. 10th season overall, 385-280. CHANGES-ADDED: C Jim Mcilvaine (free agent, Bullets}, G Greg Graham (trade with Nets I, G Craig Ehlo (free agentl, F Joseph Blair (draft, 35, Arizonal, G Drew Barry (draft, 57, Georgia Tech). LOST-C Ervin Johnson (free agent}, F Vincent Askew (traded to N ets), C Frank Brickowski (free agent). STRENGTHS-Still Western Conference's strongest team, one that will t rap and press opponents relent lessly. Seattle has t wo of NBA's best in Gary Payton (19.3 ppg, 7.5 apg, 2.9 spg) and Shawn Kemp (19.6 ppg, l l.4 rpg}, along with phalanx of role players who stick to their roles. Ehlo (8.5 ppg, 37 percent 3-point shooting) will give the Sonics outside scoring threat off bench they lacked in Finals when Nate McMillan was injured. WEAKNESSES- Signing Mcllvaine to $33 m illion contract upset team's salary structure, not to mention NBA's. It caused Shawn Kemp to hold out for first three weeks of training camp, and it will cause every 7-foot-l career backup to seek comparable deal down the road. Sonics will miss toughness of Johnson and Brickowski. IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS-Could' ve played better last June. Los Angeles Lakers LAST SEASON- 53-29, eliminated 3-1 in first round by Rockets. COACH-Del Harris, 3rd season, 10163. 12th season overall, 433-404. CHANGES-ADDED: C Shaquille O'Neal (free agent, Magic), G Kobe Bryant (draft, 13, Lower Merion HS, Pa.), C Sean Rooks (free agent, Hawks), F Jerome Kersey (free agent), G Rumeal Robinson (free agent), F Trevor Wilson (free agent), G Derek Fisher (draft, 24, Arkansas-Little Rock). LOST-F Magic Johnson (retired), C Vlade Divac (traded to Hornets), F George Lynch (traded to Grizzlies), G Anthony Peeler (traded to Grizzlies), G Sedale Threatt (free agent), F Fred Roberts (free agent). STRENGTHS-Stronger, snazzier and so much younger than at end of last season, Lakers will no doubt be league's No. 2 draw (after Bulls). Top eight players can match up with anybody's, and 60-win season is possible. O 'Neal (26.6 ppg, 11 .0 rpg) will get the ball even more than he did in Orlando, and he should challenge Michael Jordan for scoring title. WEAKNESSES-You can pay Shag $120 million, but you can't give him the ball late in fourth quarter of a close game. He' ll get fouled. And Shag shot 48. 7 percent from line last season. He's gotten worse every season. Johnson will be eligible to return midway through season. You know he's going to do it. IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS-Will be fun to watch. Sacramento Kings LAST SEASON-39-43, eliminated 3-1 by Supersonics in first round. by Spurs in first round. COACH-Cotton Fitzsimmons, third stint with Suns, 341-200. 21st season overall, 832-767. CHANGES-ADDED: G Sam Cassell (trade with Rockets), F Robert Horry (trade with Rockets}, F Mark Bryant (trade with Rockets), F Chucky Brown (trade with Rockets), G Steve Nash (draft, 15, Santa Clara). LOSTF Charles Barkley (traded t o Rockets ), G Chris Carr (free agent), G Terrence Rencher (free agent). STRENGTHS-Now that Barkley won't be around to try t o carry team, some of his supporting cast will get more opportunities. Michael Finley (15.0 ppg), Danny Manning (13.4 ppg), Wayman Tisdale (10.7), A.C. Green (7.5 ppg) and John Williams (7.3 ppg) can be expect ed t o improve their scoring averages . Horry and Cassell will want good seasons as they head into free agency. WEAKNESSES-Oft-injured Kevin Johnson (1 8. 7 ppg, 9 .2 apg) will start season on injured list. Johnson and Barkley were two high-energy players for last season's. aging t eam. Suns aren't younger this season. IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS-Good if they play defense. tlllllll COACH-Garry St. Jean, fifth season, 131-197. CHANGES-ADDED: G Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (trade with Nuggets), LOST-F Sarunas Marciulionis (traded to Nuggets), F Byron Houston (free agent). STRENGTHS-Having finally had taste of playoffs for first ti me since moving from Kansas City, Kings shou ld have desire to make it back. Mitch Rich mond (23. l ppg) will star again, and Brian Grant (14.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg) will quietly have a good season. Billy Owens (13.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.3 apg) comes off bench. WEAKNESSES-With Abdul-Rauf in town, what becomes of Tyus Edney (10.8 ppg, 6.1 apg), one of the steals of the 1995 draft? First-round draft pick Stojakovic, 19-year-old who has played professionally since age 15, has Greek League contract this season. Depth is negligible. IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS-Rabid crowd helps in playoffs. PHa•n•x suns Phoenix Suns LAST SEASON-41-41, eliminated 3-1 / Portland Trail Blazers LAST SEASON-44-38, eli mina ted 32 by Utah in first ro und. COACH- P.J. Carlesim o, 2nd season, 44-38. CHANGES-ADDED: G Kenny Ande rson (free agent), G Isaiah Rider (trade with Timberwolves), G Mitchell Butler (trade wit h Bullets), F Ras heed Wallace (trade with Bullets), F Jason Sasser (draft, 41, Texas Tech), C Jermaine O'Nea l (draft, 17, Eau C laire, S.C.), G Reggie Jordan (free . agen t). LOST: G Rod Strickland (traded to Bull et s), G James Robin son (trad ed to Timberwolves), G Rumea l Robinson (free agent), F Harvey G rant (traded t o Bullet s), F Buck Williams (free agent), F Bill Curley (traded t o Timberwolves ), C Elmore Spencer (free agent). STRENGTHS-Acquired Rider ( 19.6 ppg) for tw o players (Curley and Robinson) who rode the bench last season. Have enough big me n (Ch ris Dudley, Wallace, O'Neal) to spell Ardydas Sabonis (14.4 ppg, 8. 1 rpg in 24 minutes) and keep him healthy fo r the playoffs. Tradeable comm odit y in Clifford Robinso n (21.1 ppg). Potentially deep be nch. WEAKNESSES-Downgraded at point guard by adding Anderson (15.2 ppg, 8.3 apg) and s ubtracting Strickland (18.7 ppg, 9.6 apg) to get rid of player who feuded with Carlesimo. Rider has his share of character flaws, h owever, and some would say they're worse than Strickland's. IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS-Could be another soap opera. Golden State Warriors LAST SEASON-36-46, missed playoffs. COACH-Rick Adelman, 2nd season with Warriors 36-46. 8th season overall, 327-200. CHANGES-ADDED: G Mark Price (free agent, Bullets), C Todd Fuller (draft, 11, N.C. State), F Marcus Mann (draft, 40, Mississippi Valley State). LOST- F Kevin Willis (free agent), F Jerome Kersey (free agent), G Jon Barry (free agent). STRENGTHS-Joe Smith (15.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg) came on strong as rookie last season. Latrell Sprewell (18.9 ppg, 4.2 apg) re-signed as a free agent and Chris Mullin (13.3 ppg) has recovered from numerous injuries. Should add a decent player once Rony Seikaly is traded. WEAKNESSES-Still in a holding pattern between rebuilding and st icking with the past. Small forward and center positions are huge question marks. Must play in San Jose, Calif., this season while Oakland Coliseum Arena is refurbished. IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS- Still rebounding from rock bottom. Los Angeles Clippers LAST SEASON-29-53, missed playoffs. COACH-Bill Fitch, 3rd season with Clippers, 46-118. 24th season overall, 891-995. CHANGES- ADDED: C Lorenzen Wright (draft, 7, Memphis State), G Darrick Martin, free agent, Timberwolves). LOST: C Brian Williams (free agent), C Keith Tower (free agent). STRENGTHS-Loy Vaught. The sixyear veteran (16.2 ppg, 10. 1 rpg) has improved nearly every season and is one of few redeeming factors for perpetually lousy franchise. Brent Barry made splash last season at All-Star slam dunk contest . Fitch should give him more playing time this season. WEAKNESSES- The South Pole of the NBA, team gets no respect and deserves none. Could have re-signed Williams (15.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg) if they had budged a little off their initial offer. He may settle for less to play elsewhere. As of now, Clips plan to use no-talents Dwayne Schintzius, Stanley Roberts or Kevin Duckworth at center. IN FIVE WORDS OR LESS-Too pathetic to laugh at. |