Can Rockets Take Off Again? Basketball’s Midseason Report Card Shows No Clear Leader Of The Class
As the NBA season enters its impossibly long middle stage, where the men are separated from the boys, here’s a review of the emerging contenders, starting with the defending champions:
Houston - The Rockets are likely to be the first NBA titleholders since 1970 to place fewer than two players on their All-Star team, testimony to just how great a player Hakeem Olajuwon is and how their hopes hang on his health. Without his game, this team struggles to make the playoffs.
Just the same, don’t belittle the Rockets’ record, which was 21-10 as of Thursday. They were six games better a year ago, but went 11-11 over the next six weeks. Remember, too, that power forward Otis Thorpe, their most likely All-Star after Olajuwon, has been injured and that last season’s record included that 15-0 start.
Orlando - Does the league’s best record reflect Orlando’s talent or its easy Eastern Conference schedule?
In their last 11 games through Friday, the Magic had dropped their only two against .500-or-better teams - Charlotte and Chicago. points. That was their third loss by 27 points or more, suggesting that they have problems playing from behind against good teams. Indeed, Detroit’s Joe Dumars and Chicago’s Scottie Pippen, who have five championship rings between them, both expressed doubts about Orlando this past week.
“There are a lot of things you have to face and overcome before you can be king of the hill,” said Dumars, owner of two championship rings. “If you can do it night in and night out, then you know you’re the real thing. You shouldn’t ever mail in games, especially when you’re playing a team in your conference. No matter what, you have to make a fight of it, so they remember it come playoff time.
Phoenix - Through Friday, the Suns were 15-3 since coach Paul Westphal moved A.C. Green and Wesley Person into starting roles, with Danny Manning and Dan Majerle coming off bench. That record left the Suns in the best-record hunt, despite continuing injuries to Kevin Johnson, their most effective player last season.
Seattle - After a 4-4 start, the Sonics won 18 of 23 and shot 50 percent in 17 of those games. They were 4-8 on the road before winning at Washington, Cleveland, Chicago and Golden State by an average of 15.5 points.
The key to their recent success has been the discovery of a third basher to go with All-Star talents Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. Over the last 10 games before Friday, forward Detlef Schrempf had averaged 23.2 points and seven rebounds, including a 33-point, 16-rebound night against Golden State - his best performance in his two seasons as a Sonic. As important as his numbers is the way Payton and Kemp, the two younger, often petty stars, have welcomed his contributions.
“Det’s been unbelievable,” Payton said. “With him hitting from the outside and driving like he is, it opens up the floor for everybody else. It takes pressure off me and Shawn.”
San Antonio - With Dennis the Menace in the fold, rebounding again like no player since Wilt Chamberlain, the Spurs are ascendant, having won 13 of 14 going into the weekend. Robinson remains as dependable as ever, Vinny Del Negro and Chuck Person both are scoring from the shooting-guard spot, Avery Johnson is holding down the point, and Sean Elliott is improving at small forward.
“I think we’re every bit as good,” David Robinson said this past week. “We just need to begin to believe that as a team. I don’t know that we do yet. We still have parts of different teams.
“Sean Elliott is coming off a bad season, a losing season with Detroit. We’ve got to make him understand and be a winner again. It’s the same with Chuck Person. He came from a crummy team in Minnesota. When we get them to understand that this team can win, I think we will begin to play with more of an attitude, and we will be better.”
Utah - With their road play vastly improved, the Jazz look more dangerous. People forget that they needed only to get past Houston last spring to meet - and possibly beat - New York in the NBA Finals.
Jeff Hornacek is on fire from the new, shorter three-point range, and Felton Spencer is developing into a serviceable center. Those elements may be all the Jazz needed, but the addition of an active small forward would give them the best starting five outside of Orlando’s.
Cleveland - Everyone waits for the Cavaliers to falter, as the Atlanta Hawks did last season in the playoffs. However, they have played intelligently enough so far to contend in the weak East. Also, they are a rare team, one with salary-cap space that could enable them to swing a deal for Pippen or Portland’s Clyde Drexler, two stars currently asking to be traded.
Los Angeles Lakers - The surprise of the West, they won 17 of 21 before taking their worst loss ever on Monday at Portland. They remain a young team whose resurgence is more a warning for the future than an indication that they are a real threat now in their stacked conference.
Charlotte - Finally jelling, with seven straight victories going into the weekend, the Hornets look like Eastern spoilers.
New York - Seven wins in a row entering the weekend kept the Knicks legit, but the future health of Charles Oakley’s toe and John Starks’ shot will determine the team’s longevity.
Indiana - The Pacers are playing with fire, losing too many on the road. Their great record in Indianapolis won’t mean anything if they don’t get home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Sacramento, Portland and Chicago - Fringe playoff participants going in different directions - the Kings up, the Trail Blazers sideways, the Bulls down. Chicago would figure to pose the best threat in the playoffs, but only if Pippen stays.
Denver - With a 12-14 record entering the weekend after a 5-1 start, the Nuggets are snuffing whatever flame they lit in knocking off Seattle.