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Show , Tike Catt9 by Randy Hanskat Make your own fast break with Hamster's b-ball picks Hey, now I'm not gonna claim I'm an expert on round ball. No way. I didn't grow up dribbling with my hands. I grew up dribbling with my mouth. I didn't have a "basketball Jones." But in recent years I, like many other people, have grown to like the sport. There was a period when NBA basketball was losing its audience, and there was some doubt about its survival. But then came the Dr. Js and Magic Johnsons of the world, and back came the fans, me ihcluded. So I admit I am hardly an expert, but I can pick 'em. If you don't agree just take a look back at my baseball prognostications. Or maybe my football picks. And what about those Gators? When BYPew loses and the Oklahomos bite the big one, those little Gators are going to be sitting pretty in the number one spot. Most of you aren't stupid. Most of you, that is, except Kurt Peterson. You wouldn't throw your money away on foolish bets, would you? Then you can't live sensibly without reading on and finding out which teams to bet on in the NBA this year. Now I know the season is already about a month and a half old; some of you may construe it as cheating to now pick the winners and losers. So sue me. Besides, the season will be bouncing right along through April anyway. Since almost every team in the NBA now makes the playoffs, as is the practice in the NHL, it would take less time to pick which few won't make the playoffs. But no, I'll do it the hard way and pick the seven playoff qualifiers from each division. Let's start with the Western Conference. Last season five of the six teams in the Midwest Division made the playoffs: Utah, Denver, San Antonio, Dallas, and Kansas City. If you punish yourself by reading this column every week, then you already know how I feel about the Utah Jazz. That organization is definitely Utah's answer to South Africa. The Jazz might have won the division last season, but that was before they insulted Adrian Dantley, before they started playing the likes of John Stockton 30 minutes a game, and before they waived John Drew. The Jazz are one team stupid enough not to let a good thing alone, and their sorry record this season shows what has happened. Denver looks like the division champ this year. Getting rid of Kiki Vandeweghe seemed like a dumb move, but has paid off, and the Nuggets are rolling. The Rockets, on the other hand, are burning out just a bit. But they will relight their flame of Olajuwon and Sampson to be right, in the battle for the crown. Beyond that the Midwest is a cesspool of could-have-beens. George Gervin will lead San Antonio back into the playoffs again.but only one other team will come out of the Midwest. I h'ope it won't be the Jazz, but it could be if the Mavericks don't wake up. The Lakers are again the class of the Pacific Division. Currently they are in the midst of their usual early season nap. But now that James Worthy is starting, along with Larry Spriggs, the slumber which overtook the team against the Celtics in the finals shouldn't hit again. They've still got the best player in the league in Magic Johnson. Portland and Phoenix both look good this year, and both will make the playoffs, even if unspectacularly. The sleeper of the Western Conference, however, is the Los Angeles Clippers. With Marques Johnson, Norm Nixon and a rejuvenated Bill Walton, they will be coming up real soon. The Clippers won't challenge for the top this year, but will be in the playoffs. The tJastern Conference has some of the more exciting teams in league, but don't think I am talking about the Celtics. The Celtics may reign supreme over the Atlantic Division, but that is only because the 76'ers are ready for a geriatric home. The Celtics play the roughest, or should I say dirtiest, brand of basketball in the league, overcoming a lack of talent with brute force. The Celtics remind me of the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL a decade ago. The Flyers were brutal, but won, fighting their way to the NHL title. I just hope the NBA doesn't follow the Celtics as the NHL did the Flyers. In the NHL it took the Edmonton Oilers to remove the trend of violence, replacing it with finesse. Hopefully the cheapshot Celtics won't be so emulated. From that Atlantic Division there will be a battle for second between the Bullets, who are getting more and more confident, and the 76'ers for second and third. Neither the K nicks or the Nets will make it this year. The Central Division is probably the toughest and most exciting in the league, thanks in large part to the addition of Michael Jordan to the Chicago Bulls. Jordan, who is currently sixth in scoring with a 25.3 average, is already playing like a seasoned veteran, and has aroused the Buils. Still. I think the Pistons are the team to beat here. Isiah Thomas and Kelly Tripucka are a good one-two punch. Chicago and M ilwaukee will be in the hunt for the second and third spots. Atlanta, with Dominique Wilkins, is a better team than it shows on the court, and should get it together in time to be competitive in the playoffs. Finally, in the playoffs it's going to be the Lakers and the Nuggets, the Celtics and the Pistons. Finals will be the takers against the Pistons. Champs Pistons. MVP Thomas. The series will go six games. Place your best n.)w Menill Lynch couldn't do any '''Iter with vour monev! |