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Page 8, Portland Observer, May 1, 1985
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by Hoy L t t Jtm iyan
Sports Editor
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• SPORT TALK • SPORT TALK •
Dallas at Portland No. 4
Leading Ihe series 2-1, ihe Port
land eniry into ihe N B A sweepsiakes
came away with the victory at home
to move themselves into the magnifi
cent eight, and now must face the
Pacific Conference Champion Los
Angeles (.alters in the second round.
last Thursday evening was the high
light o f Audie Norris’ career as a
Trail Blazer and his liming was per
fect. When the game began Portland
appeared to be heading back to Dallas
because the hoop in the Coliseum was
100 small for the ball they were shoot
ing. At the 6:58 mark Portland hit
it’s first field goal on a jumper by
Kiki. The good news was that the
score was 12-6 Dallas. Jack decided
that he needed some instant magic
and inserted Steve Colter and Mychal
Thompson into the lineup. The team
started to move and at 2:55 M otta
called a timeout to halt the Blazer
surge for the lead.
When the teams broke their huddle
it was all Portland. Kiki hit two long
jumpers, Clyde broke free for a jam
on a sweet pass from Colter. Steve
followed that pass with another slight
of hand dish o ff to Sam for a back
door jam . The lineup change quick
ened the pace o f the game and now
the Blazers’ were trying to run on
every opportunity.
A lob pass from Steve to Mychal on
the breakaway brought the house to
its feet at 1:04 with the score knotted
at 24 all. The Blazers threw their o f
fensive txxik at the Mavericks. Every
offensive fundamental in the book
was needed to gel back into the game.
The lob pass, back door moves to the
hole, the fast break and the pick and
roll were all factors in getting the
Blazer offense to jell. Credit Steve
Colter.
Mark Aguirre was the heart and
soul of ihe Dallas offense throughout
the first half as he just couldn't be
stopped. Kiki had the defensive as
signment but everyone had their
chances to guard the sweet shoot
ing forward from the W indy City.
The second period was close through
out and the Blazers were in good
shape to only be down 57-55 at the
half when you consider their first 6
minutes o f the game. Aguirre finished
the first half with 24 points to lead
Dallas and Kiki was high for Port
land with 15.
The 3rd quarter was a running con
test and the Blazers spurred their
horses hardest to account for their
88 85 lead moving into the final quar-
ter. Audie Norris came o ff the bench
to put some muscle on Aguirre and
for a time it worked but nothing short
of aggravated assault was going to
shut down the Dallas forward on this
night W ith 6:58 remaining and the
Blazes leading 97-95, Jerome Kersey
entered the contest and nailed a short
jumper and Portland was trying to
forge ahead.
When Jack gets in a bind he throws
caution to the wind and scraps his
offense, shades ol Billy Ray. Now
was the lime. Many o f the moves
that Coach made a, this point in the
game were baffling to me but the
players made things work in spite of
the substitutions and defensive as
signments. Mychal Thompson was
taserted into the lineup with 5 per
sonal fouls and Jack put him on
Aguirre. That lasted a minute and
Mychal was gone with his sixth foul.
No matter. Audie was ready.
Audi« Norris appear« to be considering negotiating hie contract after
his last second heroics to seel Portland s 115-113 win over Delias
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
W ith :37 on the clock. Jack
called a timeout with (he score knot
ted at I I I . His options were to either
score quickly inside o f :06 and get
another possession or run down the
dock and hope to score and turn the
ball back over to Dallas. I would
want the ball last. That must be why
I'm not getting paid to coach the
Blazers, because Jack chose to run
down the line. Audie Norris saved
him again by scoring on a play down
the lane.
Brad Davis converted two from the
foul line and tied the score at 113 all
with :I5 left. Timeout Blazers. When
play resumed Clyde had control as the
Blazer offense spread the floor and
Clyde headed down toward the paint
When the Dallas defense converged
on Clyde he dished o ff to Audie on
the right side and it was swish with .01
remaining. The miracle didn't happen
for the Mavericks and the fat lady
sang her song over Dick M olta and
his Dallas Mavericks, fin a l score:
115-113 Trail Blazers.
Lakers bombard the Blazers in L.A.
Blowouts are hard to report be
cause you turn away so often it's
difficult to report what you don’t
see. The bottom line is this: Jack
Ramsey has placed his team in a hold
ing pattern by playing 7 men against
the Lakers and trying to run with
them at the same time.
You dance with who brought you,
and the Blazer bench is what has the
team in the playoffs. Saturday’s game
in Los Angeles can be attributed to
lack o f rest, and that’s being kind.
Tuesday’s game was just poor coach
ing. The Blazers were down by 20
points in the first half and still only 7
players were in the game for Portland.
Jack didn't go past 7 men until the
4-minute mark in the fourth quarter.
That's insane.
The series returns to Portland Fri
day night and unless Jack starts to go
deeper into his bench, there's no way
Portland has a chance at beating l .A
When the Blazers beat the Lakers here
this season in overtime. Jack used
Kersey, Thompson and Colter ex
tensively, so how can he not use them
now?
After the win over Dallas, I asked
Jack if he would be going deeper
into his bench and his response was,
" I can’t foresee that.” Maybe now
that he can foresee vacation, he'll
change his mind.
Steve Colter penetrates the Mavericks' defense
for 2 points in Blazer victory to end first round play-
off action.
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
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