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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1984)
Portland Observer, April 18, 1984 Page 9 Sport Talk by Hon Sykes, Sports Editor Once again. the second season is at hand. The play offs are here. There are many questions to be an swered as we run now to determine if Philadelphia can become the first team in more than a decade to repeat as world champs, or w ill the powerful Boston Celtics, owners o f the best win-loss record, 62-20, in the N B A , be able to dethrone the Sixers. W ill L A rise out o f the West to proclaim themselves kings? These questions and more w ill be answered in time. Here are the match-ups: 78era va. Nats The Sixers are struggling. For some strange reason, they are not the powerful club o f last year: while the ingredients are the same, the end product leaves something to be desired. Moses M alone, last season's M V P , is slowly regaining the form that earned that award for him. A painful ankle injury took most o f the big guy’s game during the middle season, but he’s now back and banging like before. Julius Erving has been superb, while A n drew Toney has struggled at times. Last year, it was Toney the team looked for in crunch time. However, this year, it ’ s been the 36- year old Erving who has carried the load. A t times, coach Billy C un ningham has shuffled his back court which has caused inconsistency. The Sixers, S2-3O, must be on their game if they are to advance. The New Jersey Nets. 43-37, are un doubtedly the most improved club in the Eastern conference. Darryl Dawkins, now playing every game under control, is probably the main reason for the Nets’ improvement. Dawkins has become devastating inside and no longer roams outside trying to put down those 20 foot jumpers. Michael Ray Richardson, o f drug abuse fame, has had a great year. Richardson will be o f great concern to Toney. The Nets’ back court of Richardson, Kelvin Ramsey, Otis Budsong and Darwin Cook is hard to beat. The Nets must improve their free-throw shooting if they are to win in the playoffs. Dawkins must stay out o f foul trouble. This should be a tough series for the Sixers. The tw o teams tied 3-3 during the regular season. The Sixers, by virtue o f their home-court advantage, should win, 4-3. Lakers vs. Kings The Lakers are just too tough. More bids on pages 7 & 8 They will have little trouble doing it to the Kansas City Kings. The L A arsenal is full and it’s ready to ex plode. The Lakers can send Magic Johnson. Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, and Byron Scott in to the fracas. And if that isn’t enough, in comes James W orthy, Michael Cooper and Bob M cA doo to clean up. As if there was anything left of the war. The Laker record of 38-24 doesn’t really tell how good they are. Weaknesses: The Lakers have very few. M cA do o and Byron Scott are thought to be the only outside threats for the Lakers. But Magic has now emerged in this category. Johnson is shooting better than 59% from 20 feet out. As a result, the defenses are having to come out, and the magic is going in (to the hoop). Jabbar, at 36, is having a super season Kareem is averaging 21.3 ppg; shooting .378 from the field and grabbing nearly 10 boards per contest. Jabbar is also among the leaders in blocked shots. The Kings must rely on their back court o f Eddie Johnson and Reggie Theus to make it respectable. KC's weaknesses are too numerous to report. None, however, stick out more than at the center spot. LaSalle Thompson and Joe C. M enweather just cannot cut the mustard at center. The KC Kings w ill fall 4-0. Boaton va. W ashington Request for MBE and WBE Proposals The George Hymen Construction Company is seeking Minority and Women Business Enterprises subcontract bids for work to be proposed by the General Services Administration. PROJECT The new building is a high tech, energy efficient, seven story low rise providing above-grade office space and three levels of underground perking. Below-grade floor levels will be cast-in-place reinforced flat plate, rein forced concrete floor systems with cast in piece reinforced concrete columns The new building connects to an existing building by an entrance/cafeteria link. ESTIMATED COST $25 Million Plus Bid Date Please send your scope of work no later than April 30, 1984 to: Another N B A mismatch. The Celtics with the best record in the N B A , 62-20 will have little trouble with the Bullets who sport the worst play o ff record, 37-45. The Celtics can be had, however, it will be tough. Larry Bird. Cedric Maxwell and Kevin M cH ale will do most o f the Celtic scoring Dennis Johnson will defend well while Gerald Henderson will bring the ball up. The Celtics hurt when Hender son is out as they do not have another bona fide point guard. The Bullets are not a play o ff team. Coach Gene Shue should plead "n o lo contendré" and go back home to Washington. O r, better yet, isn’t there another team based in the D .C . area, one known as the Hoyas? M aybe they should send John Thom pson’s crew. Platona va. Knlcka The George Hyman Construction Company Mariott Portland 1401 S .W . Front Avenue Portland, Oregon 97201 Phone: (503) 242 2920 This could very well be the match o f the first round. The Pistons, 49- 33, are a much improved club. They have " M r Everything’' guard Isaiah Thomas and " M r . Outside" in fo r ward Kelly Tripucka. The K nicks rely on the sturdy Bernard King too much. King has single handedly brought the Knicks to respectability. Coach Brown’ s New Yorkers finished the regular season at 47-35 But were only 4-13 with King out on injuries. Knicks suffered a tremen dous season ending slump. The question now is, can they regain the form that got them to the play offs? Bill Cartwright must be assertive against Pistons' Bill Laimbcer Detroit definitely enjoys the edge up front, except for King. The aggressive play o f Rory Sparrow and Ray Williams is a plus. But look for the Pistons to advance 4- 3. PRE-EASTER SALE Tl ES ♦5B0 ♦7°° *8“ *10°° »1260 NEW SPRING COLORS AND STYLES SOCKS *17’ T O •5 °° all styles BELTS W^ HS WALLETS JEWELRY UyO GIFTS FOR MEN FOR ALL OCCASIONS M araaret Carter (Continued from page 2, column 2) those out there who put their per sonal ambitions over that o f the com m unity," one voter stated when he saw her lawn signs. Because o f the presence o f a spoiler in the race. Carter faces a tougher battle and the aspect o f the first Black woman in the Legislature has been diluted. Carter faces the challenge o f attracting votes away from the incumbent. Ed Leek (Continued fro m page I, column 6) A.M. PRINTING CO. 2201 N . K illin g w o rth Phone: 283-2487 FOR ALL YOUR PRINTING NEEDS Office B Buelneea Letterheede • Bualneee Cerda Bulletins • Price Uata • Cherts Newsletters • Forms • Flyers Envelopes • ADS PLACED I Prior to this date, Leek had in formed those inquiring him about the seat that he was undecided. The morning o f M arch 15th, Leek called Ronnie Herndon, co-chair o f the Black United Front and among the architects o f District 18, to ask for support if he decided to run for M ultnom ah County C lerk. H ern don said no. " I had been trying to reach M r Herndon for some time. He was one o f a number o f people I spoke to .” When asked whether he would have filed if H erndon’s response had been "y e s " . Leek said. " I don’t know. He did not support me and after my discussion with other people, I made the decision to run. I cannot speculate what decision I would have reached if he and other people had given me different reac tions." Other points o f Leek’s campaign platform are his experience in the Legislature. In August o f 1983, the Willamette Week newspaper sur veyed 24 individuals which included lobbyists, news reporters, legislative staffers and legislators. Leek was rated below average. "Votes leave bills when Ed’s name is on them. He alienates allies and makes enemies work all the harder against him. H e is pompous, distasteful and self-righteous.'* Leek responded by stating, "Everyone that they rated highly orientation. In the fall o f 1983, the District 18 Forum was developed to throw the resources o f the Black community behind one candidate. The hope that process held was shattered when the loser o f the forum violated the agreement and stayed in the race. Whether the Black community likes it or not, Leek remains a political factor they have to reckon with. 1 | ç ¡ENTER B Y THE RINK W eight loss and exercise center guaranteed to lose 6 8 pounds per week and feel good Non allergenic diet supplement. Electric exercise machine. Also, Body W rap and Face Lift. 1634 N .E. 7th Phone: 287 3288 Pleas« cell for appt Key Match ups: James Edwards vs. Mychal Thompson. Edwards at 7*0" is not the most dominate center in the game. He loves to shoot the jumper inside 15 feet. He does not position well for rebounding. Thompson, 6*10**, is not a legitimate N B A center. He simply does not enjoy banging inside He, too, enjoys taking the 15 foot ju m per and is not strong inside. Edwar ds, two inches taller, gets the nod. This series should go down to the wire. Pick Portland by one game. supported the sales tax. Everyone they rated low opposed the sales tax. I f I don't have any clout, how was I able to pass the major economic bill o f the session or the "medically needy’ bill? As far as my per sonality goes, I have decided opinions about things. I state those opinions strongly." Leek has built up a support base among some neighborhood associations and labor union groups. " I did not move into District 18 to run for State Representative. In stead o f one district. I would have preferred a multiple district because it is more important for the residents o f District 18 to have pieces of more than one person in Salem ." Reporter's note: When re- districting was firs t brought up in Salem, a hearing was held in the community and the multiple district was not favored among m ajor groups and organizations in Albina. M any residents in District 18 were upset with Leek when they read in The Oregonian that he was in New Hampshire campaigning for George M cG overn. Currently, he said he is uncommitted. Leek takes credit for the "racial harrassment" bill. But, in testi mony on the House floor, Leek stated gays were discriminated against more than other minorities. " W h a t I said was, gays needed the protection o f this bill to the greatest degree o f any group in the society to d a y ." The term o f sexual orientation was excluded from the bill because there was no definition of sexual 2 E S ¡) LLOYD Slimmers Salon The most aspirin sou can bin for vour arthritis pain Most effective buffers for\oiirstoiiK K h Hock Shop* Buy. Sell or Trade Anything of value 5600 N.E. Union District 18 Candidates: CONTACT PERSON FOR BID INFORMATION Mr. Fred L. Valentine. Phone ( » 1 ) 986-8143 ♦iq» w<&°° $150 yo »35°° TO »16^° Portland va. Phownlx The Blazers are struggling to say the least. Ramsay will make some changes. He has decided to play Peter Venhoeden instead o f Audie Norris. He will give Clyde Drexler his minutes at the deux guard spot. The question now is where will Mychal Thompson put in his "laid back minutes." I f Portland is to have any chance, Thompson is going to have to become aggressive. M aurice Lucas has issued the challenge. Kenny C arr, Portland's muscle man, has accepted. Good. But alone he cannot prevail. Help is needed and it would be nice if it came from M ychal. W ith Phoenix now going with Kyle Macy in the back co u rt.... The Blazers should take the opportunity to exploit his lack o f speed. Macy is a better-than- average scorer but shows definite inadequacies elsewhere. W ith D ar nell Valentine and Fats Lever, the Blazers are much quicker at the point. FOR MEN ALL LEATHER •M TJK tTn EMMA'S KITCHEN SOUL FOOD Cookes Choice Dinner Rib Diniefts B R E A K FA S T 2 Eggs. choice of bacon or sausage fried potatoes or grits, toast and juica Donuts •2 50 Fish D in n er .. ................................... L U N C H /D IN N E R Gumbo (Good Tool! Homemade Soup Chib (per cup I Hamburger Cheeseburger Louisiana Hot Tamales Rib Sandwich Fish Sandwich Hot Dog Chili Dog ............................ Hot Links 1329 N.E. Frem ont-281-2560 T uet. Set. 6 a .m . -1 2 a .m ., Sunday 1 p.m . - 1 2 e.m . P ln ia r i M o n d a v THE BEEPER PEOPLE. 713 S.W. 12th Street Call 224-BEEP for a free demonstration.
