Page 8-Tuesday, January 24, 1978-The Michigan Daily
BASKETBRAWL SEASON REVIEW
NBA enters ring for i
By SCOTT M. LEWIS
Now that the pro football season has merci-
fully drawn to a close, the sports spotlight has
shifted to what are classified as the "winter
sports," particularly basketball. Despite the
relative lack of media coverage, the 1977-78 NBA
campaign has been eventful and tumultuous,
both on the court and in the front office.
The season opener proved to be a harbinger of
things to come. The Los Angeles Lakers'
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in a fit of frustration,
slugged the Milwaukee Bucks' Kent Benson in
the eye, sending the rookie center reeling to the
floor.
Although he scored a TKO, Jabbar's punch
was costly - he was fined $5,000 and suspended
for three weeks by Commissioner Lawrence
O'Brien. The suspension was academic, how-
ever, as Jabbar broke his hand in the skirmish.
Since the Jabbar-Benson mishap, several in-
teresting things have happened.
Five coaches, most notably Boston's highly
successful Tom Heinsohn, are looking for
employment, their respective owners finding
displeasure with their work.
The Portland Trail Blazers, defending NBA
champs, extended their home victory streak to
42 games. Their current record of 35-7 is by far
tops in the league.
Kermit Washington, a 6-8, 235-pound Laker for-
ward, became a serious challenger to Muham-
mad Ali's heavyweight crown. A more proficient
fighter than Jabbar, his one-punch knockout of
Houston Rocket star Rudy Tomjanovich earned
him a shot at the title.
Indiana Pacer forward Adrian Dantley (since
traded to - you guessed it - the Lakers)
attacked two security guards who were standing
in front of the Milwaukee dressing room in an
effort to settle an old grudge with the Bucks'
Dave Myers.
Violence notwithstanding, there have been few
other surprises this season. Here's a look at the
divisional races so far:
* ATLANTIC DIVISION - Philadelphia, under
new coach Billy Cunningham, has a nine-game
edge over the potent but sporadic New York
Knicks. Julius Erving, George McGinnis, and
company are hustling and winning for their
likable coach, and occasionally even disdain a
Spectacular reverse dunk shot for a simple
layup.
The Knicks, under former NBA great Willis
Reed, have a wealth of talent, but, as in previous
seasons, the chemistry is simply not there. They
. rest 'comfortably in second place, ahead of
Buffalo and pathetic New Jersey.
The Nets feature rookie sensation Bernard
King, who is scoring nearly 25 points per game.
Unfortunately, they have little else.
CENTRAL DIVISION - San Antonio's recent
surge has vaulted them past Washington and into
first place in this close divisional race. The
Spurs' Larry Kenon and George Gervin are
shoo-ins for the All-Star Game (Feb. 5), and the
San Antonio fans are the most vocal in the
league.
The Bullets are rolling along at a .571 pace
National Basketball Assn.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W ]
Philadelphia .............. 30 1
New York ................. 23 2
Buffalo ................... 16 2
Boston .................... 14 2
New Jersey ............... 9 3
Central Division
San Antonio............... 27 1
Washington ............... 24 1
Cleveland ................. 21 2
New Orleans .............. 21 2
Atlanta ................. 21 2
Houston................... 16 2
L
12
21
25
27
36
18
19
21
24
26
28
Pct.
.714
.523
.390
.341
.200
.600
.558
.500
.467
.447
.364
GB
8
13%
15%1
2212
2
411
6
7
10%1
itde igh
(24-28), ahead of Cleveland, New Orleans,
Atlanta, and Houston. None of these teams
figures to challenge the Spurs and Bullets,
although the Cavaliers did lead the division for a
short time.
MIDWEST DIVISION - The Nuggets, Den-
ver's "other team," sports the league's third
best record [28-15] and hold a sizable lead over
the formidable Chicago Bulls and the improving
Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks, a collection of first and second
round draft picks, are an inexperienced yet tal-
ented bunch. Ex-Celtic star Don Nelson, the
Milwaukee coach, has his team playing over the
.500 mark for the first time in over three years.
Tied for fourth place are the Detroit Pistons
and the Indiana Pacers. Detroit's Bob Lanier
and Eric Money are performing well, as are
newly-acquired Al Skinner and John Shumate.
However, interim coach Bob Kauffman is having
trouble finding both a competent coach and a
winning combination for his beleaguered Pis-
tons.
The Pacers, beset by financial woes, will battle
the Kansas City Kings for th6 Midwest cellar.
PACIFIC DIVISION - Portland all the way.
The Blazers show a striking similarity to the
Boston Celtics' dynasty teams of the 1950's and
'60's, particularly in their fast-break offense and
in their fine pivot play. Bill Walton has estab-
lished himself as one of the top three centers in
the game.
Trailing Portland by eight games are the
Phoenix Suns, led by rookie Walter Davis and
all-pros Alvan Adams and Paul Westphal. The
Suns are better than they were in 1975-76, but
then, so is the rest of the league.
Hovering around the .500 mark are the Seattle
Supersonics and the Golden State Warriors, both
with playoff aspirations.
The Sonics have staged a complete turn-
around.-Before Player Personnel Director Lenny
Wilkens assumed the coaching duties, Seattle
managed to win but five of 22 games. Since
Wilkens took over, they are the NBA's hottest
team, posting an incredible 19-4 mark.
Los Angeles, residing in the basement, should
get better as Jabbar and Dantley become
adjusted to the Lakers' new style of play.
P2uck/h9
Season determnant..
...in home sweet home w
By ERROL SHIFMAN
Well, so much for the crucial middle third of the season I wrote of in
early December. It's over and so for all intents and purposes are Michigan's
hopes of finishing on top of the conference. The Wolverines responded to the
challenge with a wopping 3-7 record and dropped from third to fifth place.
Midterm grade: E, no credit.
Michigan's take home final (seven of the last 12 games at home) will in-
clude finding a way to gain a home playoff berth. The teams Michigan will
have to beat out are Michigan Tech, currently eight points ahead of the
Wolverines and Minnesota three points ahead. It will be a tough test.
Minnesota has it pretty good-for the remainder of the season. The only
team within reach which has a tough road ahead is Tech. Here is the
schedule of the games remaining among the contenders:
Denver Wisconsin Tech
Michigan Tech at Wisconsin
at Tech Denver Denver
at Wisconsin at Minnesota at Michigan
at Minnesota
Minnesota Michigan
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Midwest Division
Wisconsin
Denver
at Denver
Tech
Denver ................... 28 l
Chicago................... 25 2
Milwaukee............26 2
Indiana ...............19 2
DETROIT.............18
Kansas City...........16
Pacific Division
Portland ............... 35
Phoenix ..............29 l
Seattle .................... 25
Golden State .............. 21
Los Angeles ...............20
15
20
22
25
25
29
8
15
21
23
24
.651
.556
.542
.432
.419
.356
.814
.659
.543
.477
.455
4
412
9 2
10
13
6 /2
11% /
141/
15 !/2
For Information On
Jobs, Study, and Ally A
OPPORUNITES IN ISRAEL
See YEHUDAH BERMAN of the
Israel Aliyah Center
at the Jewish Expo
Michigan Union Ballroom
TODAY: NOON-EVENING
Recreational
The Central Campus Recreation Building is sponsoring two films on Thurs-
day, January 26, at 7 p.m. in Room 2230 of the CCRB. The films are titled "Weight
Training I" and "Bigger, Faster, Stronger."
Registration is currently taking place for the following:
Men's All Campus:
Paddleball (doubles) entries due January 26
Raquetball (singles) entries due January 26
Men's Graduate:
Squash - entries due January 30
All registration entries are due at the IM Building on 606 E. Hoover.
The Adolescent Program begins on Sunday, January 29. Registration for the
Adolescent Program occurs at the NCRB, Monday through Friday, 8:30-4:30. For
further information, contact Ellen Gold (763-4560).
Michigan has the edge in home games remaining with seven, Wisconsin and
Minnesota have six each, Denver five and Tech four..
Minnesota has the advantage of playing the contenders at home and
seems assured of posting a record in the last 12 games no worse thanr
Michigan's.
Wisconsin is also in relatively good shape and Denver, while it has to
play four contenders, can not mathematically fall out of the top four.
Sure Minnesota could hit a losing streak and fall behind Michigan, but
the Gophers would have to play pretty poor hockey to even finish 7-5 and
based on Michigan's past play, 9-3 is the best it can hope for. Granted, it
could be close but I don't see Minnesota folding.
Tech is currently on a 9-1 tear and appears too hot to fall, but eight of
twelve games on the road can have strange effects on a team as the
Wolverines well know. The Blue icers will have the opportunity to help their
own cause when the Huskies come to Yost and with some help from Wiscon-
sin and Denver, who knows?
It is unfortunate that the Wolverines have to depend on some help to get
a home birth instead of getting in on their own merits. Fortunately for
Michigan, they are almost assured a playoff birth.
Last year the Wolverines rebounded from seven straight conference
game loses and came up with a twelve-game win streak, ending up in the
NCAA finals. Can lightning strike twice?
It will have to.
1
t
l
THE
FACTS OF
LIGHT
WCHA
Denver
Wisconsin
Mich. Tech
Minnesota
MICHIGAN
Notre Dame
Coo. Coil.
N. Dakota
Minn.-Duluth
Mich. State
Standings
W L T TP
16 4 0 32
14 4 2 30
14 6 0 28
11 8 1 23
10 10 0 20
7 12 1 15
7 13 0 14
7 13 0 14
6 13 1 13
5 14 1 11
Team _
i. Boston University (6)..........15.
2. Denver (2)................. 19.4
3. Wisconsin .................... 17-5-1
4. Michigan Tech (2) ............. 17-7
5. Bowling Green............... 17-6
6. Cornell ........................ 9-4-1
7. Minnesota .................... 15-8-1
8. Boston College...............13-4
9. Clarkson.......................12-7
10. Northern Michigan.........17-6-1
Points
90
78
73
47
42
41
33
27
10
Top Ten
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MICHIGAN UNION
WISCONSIN ATHLETES INELIGIBLE
Badgers ain't bullish on brains
By The Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. - Three Univer-
sity of Wisconsin varsity basketball
players are scholastically ineligible
and four football players, including
starting quarterback Anthony Dud-
ley, have flunked out of school, UW
athletic officials said yesterday.
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Wesley Matthews, highly touted 6-1
freshman who led the Badger basket-
ball team in scoring through the first
half of this season, was declared in-
eligible for second semester play
along with freshman reserve guard
Darnell Reid and sophomore forward
James "Stretch" Gregory.
Gregory, from Washington, D.C.,
was the Badgers' leading scorer and
rebounder last season and started
most of this season. He sat out the,
last two games when it became
apparent he would be ineligible.
GREGORY FLUNKED a five-hour
Swahili course and Matthews, from
Bridgeport, Conn., failed a four-hour
English course during the first
semester.
Otto Breitenbach, UW assistant
athletic director, said Gregory is
remaining in school and could be
eligible next season if he makes up
his academic deficiencies.
Breitenbach said Matthews com-
piled a 2.4 grade-point average, well
above the NCAA's required 1.6
minimum on a 4.0 scale, but did not
achieve the required 12 academic
credits in his first semester.
MATTHEWS ALSO is in school and
can be eligible for next year by accu-
mulating a total of 24 academic
credits before the fall semester
begins, Breitenbach said.
Breitenbach said Dudley, who
shared the starting quarterback
duties on the UW football team last
fall, was dropped from school along
with three other football players:
Ken Burroughs, Steve Givens and
Lee Washington.
He said all four can regain their
eligibilitysby enrolling at otr
schools this semester and returning
to Wisconsin for summer school.
DUDLEY,. a junior from Detroit,
completed 64 of 127 passes for 877
yards and two touchdowns, with 10
interceptions, last season. Washing-
ton, starting sophomore linebacker
from Miami, Fla., ranked third
among Badger tacklers last season
with 90.
Another football player, junior
linebacker Dave Crossen, was in
danger of being dropped from school
because his gradepoint had fallen
below the university's required 2.0
for upperclassmen.
However, Crossen was given a
reprieve by academic officials at a
special appeals hearing on Saturday.
He was named the Badgers' most
valuable player for the 1977 season.
Rudran ads Ashram
is now offering
Beginning courses in
Meditation & Kundalini Yoga
BEGINNING CLASSES every Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday at 5:30
FULL CLASS at 6:30
995-5483
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RADIATION PROTECTION
at The University of Michigan
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE for:
FACT: Pabst Extra Light
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