Page 12- The Michigan Daily - Friday, June 10, 1988
Looking for something different?...
How about the all-new NBA?
Adam 's Rib
BY ADAM SCHRAGER
/Associated Press
Los Angeles Laker guard Magic Johnson shows some of his
team's frustration from Tuesday night's loss to the Detroit
Pistons.
BigTen's Duke
to retire in '89
FROM STAFF REPORTS age 34.
Wayne Duke announced Tuesday Duke is only the f o u r t h
that he will retire as Big Ten commissioner in the 93-year history
commissioner in December 1989 of the Big Ten. Previous comm-
after running the conference since issioners were Major John L.
1971. Griffith, 1922-1944; Kenneth L.
"Announcement of these plans at (Tug) Wilson, 1945-61 and William
this time will provide the board R. Reed, 1961-71.
ample opportunity to screen During Duke's tenure, the Big
candidates for the position and Ten has expanded its football bowl
provide an orderly transition for game participation after years of
conduct of conference business," being limited to only the Rose
said Duke, who plans to serve as a Bowl. Nine of the conference's
consultant to the Big Ten after teams have participated in 51
retiring. different bowl games since the
"It is reassuring to me to be conference changed its policy in
leaving the conference at a time 1975.
when our performance is ex- Also Duke has helped the Big
ceedingly strong." Ten expand its basketball programs.
Duke, who will be 61 when he Since the first conference cham-
retires, was the youngest chief pionship was won by Minnesota in
, executive officer of a major athletic 1906, new rule changes such as the
conference when appointed comm- 45-second shot clock and the three-
issioner of the Big Eight in 1963 at point goal have been implemented.
There's an all-new motif
pervading our society these days,
revolving around the phrase, "The
All-New."
First, in the entertainment field,
we have "The All-New Dating
Game," "The All-New Newlywed
Game," and "The All-New Holly-
wood Squares." Next, in the
political department, we have the
"All-New," not wimpy, George
Bush, separate from his Ronald
Reagan shadow. Finally, in sports,
we have "The All-New NBA."
This "All-New NBA" evolves
from the fact that for the first time
in five seasons, the Boston Celtics
won't be in the NBA finals and the
fact that the Los Angeles Lakers
have been shown to be vincible.
The Celtics slipped and lost two
games on their infamous Parkay
margarine floor to the Detroit
Pistons, who won the Eastern Con-
ference series in six games. In this
six game series, the Pistons'
defense forced Boston to shoot
under 45% from the field and held
Celtic star Larry Bird in check.
Now, many will question
whether the Pistons won the series
or whether the Celtics lost the
series, but there is no question as to
which team is playing in the finals.
With a tight defense led by Dennis
"The Worm" Rodman on Bird, who
regularly arrives two hours before
game time practice his shooting, all
previous conceptions of the early-
bird getting the worm have been
obliterated.
The Pistons once again defied all
odds Tuesday by holding the Lakers
to a menial 39% from the field and
thrashing the defending champions,
105-93. Skeptics galore figured
Detroit would be content with
beating Boston and get blown out
by the Lakers, who had not lost
their first home game in a series in
seven years.
In perhaps the key play of the
game, Piston guard Isiah Thomas
stole an inbounds pass and hit a
three-pointer at the first half buzzer.
Thomas, who has been Detroit's
leader throughout the playoffs, gave
the Pistons a 17 point halftime
lead.
"He just read it and stepped up
and made the play," said Pistons
assistant coach Ron Rothstein. "It
wasn't by design. But great players
make great plays at crunch time."
While the entire country remains
shocked and perplexed as to what
transpired on Tuesday, I propose
that it is no more mystifying as
someone being a contestant on
"The All-NewDating Game" solely
to get a free vacation to somewhere
exotic.
The Lakers, while posting the
NBA's best regular-season record,
have been pressed to the limit by
their last two playoff opponents,
the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah
Jazz, respectively. Both teams pus-
hed the Lakers to seventh games
and the brink of elimination.
But in those deciding games held
at the L.A. Forum in front of many
a celebrity, the Lakers put on an
Oscar winning performance that
would have even made the strictest
of Hollywood critics offer kudos to
the L.A. braintrust.
First, Utah, led by the United
States Post Office's newest and
bestest buddy, Karl "The Mailman"
Malone, beat the Lakers once at the
Forum and also pummeled and
embarrassed them in game six in
Utah before exiting graciously.
In the next series, it was a new
cast of characters that posed
problems for L.A. The Mavericks
possessed talent led by true
maverick Mark Aguirre and the
NBA's Best Sixth Player in Roy
Tarpley. But in the end, the Lakers
stayed alive.
Smiles, laughs, and predictions
exuded from L.A. following both
series and yet there was something
new. Something all-new. Espe-
cially after Tuesday night. There
were injuries and doubts. There
were question marks and fatigue.
And there were the same previously
invincible Lakers wondering.
Wondering. Who would have
ever thought that the Lakers would
have to wonder? I didn't. Now,
phrases such as "Could the Lakers,"
or "Can the Lakers," are prominent.
No longer are there statements
saying "When will the Lakers win,"
or "How will the Lakers win," but
instead people are wondering.
The Pistons will evidently come
out for game two more relaxed than
someone following accupuncture.
Will the Lakers win? I don't
know, but even thinking about it is
something all-new.
I
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'He just read it and
stepped up and
made the play. It
wasn't by design.
But great players
make great plays at
crunch time.'
-Pistons assistant
Ron Rothstein on
Isiah Thomas' steal
and three-pointer at
the halftime buzzer.
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