NBA: Sport Magazine:::November 1980 NBA Preview...by Vecsey

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I ran across this magazine (now defunct) rooting about in the garage. I thought I'd list some of the teams...

San Antonio Spurs

Over the last four years the Spurs have averaged 51 wins and one playoff appearance per season, although last season was a struggle. The chemistry simply blew up. Four key subs were not re-signed or were traded. Billy Paultz was expelled after midyear exams; his replacement. John Shumate, failed the course too. Coach Doug Moe was dismissed. Through all this George Gervin was squabbling about his contract, although he won his third straight scoring le.

Everything is rectified, remodeled and full of promise for the new season. Gervin is satisfied with his raise, which leads one to image what he will accomplish when happy. Free-agent George Johnson has been hired for interior defense and Mike Mitc should help make people forget Larry Kenon, who was extremely unhappy about a proposed salary cut that maybe the people forgot. Rookies Reggie Jackson and Michael Wiley have all the people excited.

At guard positions are James Silas and the redoubtable Gervin. San Antonio's center is Swat Johnson, who had 3.19 blocks a game last year. He will contribute the kind of intangibles that never show in stat sheets.

A labor-management innovation at San Antonio this season is a bonus program created by some efficiency experts in the front office. The Spurs players will be reward with extra pay for each victory past their 35th. The idea is to insure that the Spurs come to play all-out every night, a radical idea by NBA standards.

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Los Angeles Lakers

Exhaustive research has yet to provide a formula for beating perfection-which is to say, the world champion Lakers. If such a formula is discovered, it probably will be by a team in the Pacific Division, producer of four of the NBA's last six lists. Games between Coast clubs, the local boast goes, are not decided until the very last shot.

Last season the finals shots went most often to L.A. but Assistant Coach Pat Riley frets over possible complacency. "Climbing the mountain is a very intense process." He says. "There is a natural tendency to let down once you've reached the top." With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still acting like "an 18-year-old who wanted a scholarship"--as someone described the 33-year-old center last season--and Magic Johnson being, well, Magic, a letdown seems less likely than a breakdown. L.A. used seven men in the playoffs (it trusted six) and will look to the same cast again. Jim Chones and Michael Cooper will heavily relied on to perform at two positions. Magic, who has a smile on his face and a song in his, will plug in and dominate at five positions.

By now everybody is well-versed in Jabbar, Magic, Jamaal Wilkes and the rebounding of Mark Landsberger. Less con uous is Norm Nixon--"the one who gets all the points that hurt you." according to Marques Johnson. Quietly, he has sacrificed his game for Magic's and, it is said, he resents the role. If trouble erupts, Nixon will be difficult to replace.

[Double-Up]

Actually basketball discussion from a parrot? That's ing surprising...

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San Diego Clippers

"If the real Bill Walton shows up, who knows what will happen?" says Laker Coach Paul Westhead. For the first time in two years there is no pain when Walton runs and four orthopedists say he will be playing 32 minutes a game by the playoffs-which the Clippers should make.

But not easily. Swen (Body Beautiful) Nater does not shoot as well s he used to and he is pathetic on defense. Still, he ws the league's leading rebounder last season, has improved his ball-handling and is eager. Says new Coach Paul Silas, "He's a big part of this team."

Silas' first act was to secure anyone who would put out at both ends of the floor without demanding to renegotiate. Rookie Michael Brooks met both requirements and although he has never played in a pro game he is already the Clippers' best forward. Joe Bryant, Nick Weatherspoon and Sidney Wicks are obviously not what playoff dreams are made of. Wicks owns a record that perhaps only he will break; his scoring average has decreased in each of the nine years he has played. Lloy Free, who did score, but too much for Silas' taste, was sent packing to the warriors. Team-oriented play, defense and offensive speed will be the Silas style. Freeman Williams has the speed but no defense, so it will be Brian Taylor and Phil Smith trading off each other's skills.

[spurraider21]

good stuff cub

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good stuff cub

Thank you.

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Dallas Mavericks

Playing in their first NBA season, the Mavericks surprisingly have not yet got their game down. "If they win 25 times, Motta should be voted coach of the years," says astute Chicago Bulls General Manager Rod Thorn.

"We've got kids who won't die," says Rick Sund, director of player personnel. Maybe, but lacking overall quickness and height, Dallas' major concern is to develop a way to stop foes from racking up 130 or more points every time out. Just getting back on defense will be a problem. Motta hopes to combat this weakness with gimmicks-zones and traps-and Ralph Drollinger. What he really needs is a 7-foot-2 anchor who can back pedal fast. Attendants in waiting to Drollinger are the often-injured Tom LaGarde, who has not quite learned to play tough without getting caught; swingman Jerome Whitehead, and streak-shooter Richard Washington.

Beginning his 10th season Austin Carr is the one acquisition who has management excited. He will fire whenever he sees a basket's eye. In the backcourt will be Mike Bratz, Geoff Huston and Jim Spanarkel. Huston is solid when looks to his jumper and tries to create opportunities, and only a $90,000 guarantee stands between Spanarkel and the waiver list. Rookie Kiki Vandewighe, Jack Givens, Winford Boynes and Abdul-Jeelani, all forwards have to prove themselves. "We have 11 untouchables," says Sund, kidding of course.

[ambchang]

Living in the past is now a great hobby for Lakers fan.

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Living in the past is now a great hobby for Lakers fan.

- "The past is prologue."

- Shakespeare

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Houston Rockets

Thanks to the mediocrity in the core of this division-and an indispensible repellent named Moses Malone-the Rockets struggled into the playoffs on forged credentials. It is difficult to visualize them sneaking past the guards again.

Houston has nothing resembling a power forward; each guard is a mere shot glass of a man, and Coach Dell Harris cannot get people's attention at his own dinner table, much less in the huddle. For surviving such perverse conditions he was rewarded with a new three-year deal.

The least he could have done was name Malone an assistant. Malone begins his $1 million contract, all of it in cash, making him far and away the most expensive talent in the business. Imagine if he could shoot. "He's got the worst touch in America." says Atlanta Coach Hubie Brown. "Give him the first shot and then box out." Easier said than done. Malone's second-effort rebounding provided the bulk of his 25.8 points per game.

Youth and quickness are what Houston wants, which to say, goodnight Rudy Tomjanovich. In Malone (age 25), Robert Reid (25) and Allen Leavell (23), the Rockets feel they have the three fastest draws in the West. An added attraction is forward Lee Johnson, back from Europe after rejection notices here last year. At 6 feet 10, 205 pounds, he is a deft shooter who has management excited.

Calvin Murphy, who is an automatic two-pointer off a pick, Tom Henderson and Mike Dunleavy leave much to be desired at guard but Billy Paultz (The Whopper-tee, hee) supplies excellent support for the overworked Malone-and the best quotes in the NBA.

[DeadlyDynasty]

lol amb ...I'm sure you enjoyed living in the 6 moment recently, just as well as the past.

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Portland Trail Blazers

Alias the Frail Blazers, Portland was pockmarked with injuries and handicapped by dissension and confusion-and still reached the playoffs. The key was abandoning the prevent offense (read, best defense in the league) and allowing Maine Lumberjack discovery Billy Ray Bates to fire at will. According to one coach, bates could become one of the best third guards in the history of the NBA or the Bubbles Hawkins of 1981.

Even without a center, Jack Ramsay says he will stick for the nonce with the open offense. Tom Owens can pass, shoot and is unselfish, but one Blazer says he "can't rebound, can't block shots, plays little defense and besides, he's always getting in my damn way." Kevin Kunnert's knee is not responding well to treatment, which makes Mychal Thompson, fully recovered from a broken leg, the logical candidate for center. He is viewed by insiders as only marginally behind Larry Bird in talent but he tends to question Ramsay's authority. As one Blazer says, "You don't mess with Father Nature if you want to stay in Portland."

It helps in the disciplined world of Ramsay to have dinosaur Kermit Washington and zealot Calvin Natt. "Calvin works overtime," says Maurice Lucas, "and will be burned out by Jack Ramsay in two years."

Everyone is high on rookie point guard Kelvin Ransey. Says a club official, "he does what he is told."

[ambchang]

lol amb ...I'm sure you enjoyed living in the 6 moment recently, just as well as the past.

thinking 6 is a big deal.
I'd be crushed if the Spurs fielded a team of 4 HoFers and got swept in the 1st round, then got rejected, and then go on pace to have the worst season in franchise history.

[DeadlyDynasty]

thinking 6 is a big deal.

thinking it's not a big deal

Sweeps happen every year in the playoffs, 6 is forever

[spurraider21]

get real amb, 6 was ing crushing lol

[Clipper Nation]

Joe Bryant, Nick Weatherspoon and Sidney Wicks are obviously not what playoff dreams are made of.

Kirby's dad

[ambchang]

thinking it's not a big deal

Sweeps happen every year in the playoffs, 6 is forever

Losses in the finals doesn't happen every year? Which league are you watching? You got some co-champions?

Sweeps in the 1st round with 4 HoFers with championships doesn't happen every year, it happened once in NBA history.

As a bonus, losing in the finals with 4 first ballot HoF also only happened once in NBA history. Live in that past Lakers fan.

get real amb, 6 was ing crushing lol

It was painful as a Spurs fan to see the team lose in the finals, but whether the Spurs lost in 7 with one extremely winnable game, the results are the same, the Spurs lost in the finals to a heavily favoured Heat team when the Spurs ceiling was supposed to WCF.

I am being real, the expectations were realistic. Expecting the Spurs to have somehow won the series was unrealistic.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Expectations change when you're up by 5 with 20 seconds left away from a le. This is fun watching you deny it though

[ambchang]

Expectations change when you're up by 5 with 20 seconds left away from a le. This is fun watching you deny it though

Expectations formed over an entire season should change depending on the state of the game? Look who's unrealistic.

And it's fun watching you just ditch the Lakers massive failure entirely.

[baseline bum]

With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still acting like "an 18-year-old who wanted a scholarship"--as someone described the 33-year-old center last season--and Magic Johnson being, well, Magic, a letdown seems less likely than a breakdown.

Oops, eliminated by a 40-42 team

Quietly, he has sacrificed his game for Magic's and, it is said, he resents the role. If trouble erupts, Nixon will be difficult to replace.

Nixon for Scott ended up being such an awesome deal for the Lakers. LOL Clippers.

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Boston Celtics

Irrational fans are inclined to write off last season as one giant tease, the Celtics rushing to a league-leading 61 wins only to be dumped unceremoniously in the playoff showdown with Philly.

The fact is, give the Celtics one many-splendored guard and the drama will not be repeated. The second fact is that such a guard could materialize since the Celtics have an overun of frontcourtmen, not the least of them the valued Rick Robey. Hard as it would be to part with him, he could be exchanged handsomely.

Still, there are those who feel that no matter what happens, the blush is off the rose. As one GM says, "Too many negative things happened during the playoffs and this summer for them to feel the same vibrant glow." He means that M.L. Carr and Robey were embarrassed at money time. Cedric Maxwell and Tiny Archibald also had a hard time during contract talks in the off-season.

Enough gloom and doom. It is on to diversity and unselfishness, the stuff of the Boston formula. There will be more shotblocking, a weakness before, with Robert Parish and rookie Kevin McHale, and there will be the usual offensive mayhem. If Larry Bird and Dave Cowens are off during an evening, Maxwell and Robey--should be he remain--can be counted on at both ends of the court.

Which leaves the matter of Coach Bill Fitch. So long as the Celts pass the ball, Fitch cannot hurt them. But in the pressure cooker of the playoffs, when they need him most, Fitch loses his cool.

[baseline bum]

The second fact is that such a guard could materialize since the Celtics have an overun of frontcourtmen, not the least of them the valued Rick Robey. Hard as it would be to part with him, he could be exchanged handsomely.

God damn, Vestradamus there

[Budkin]

Thanks for sharing Cub, that was awesome.