European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 06, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Friday May 6, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 21 playoff payoff credited to defense lakers take series from warriors by Jack Stevenson los Angeles a Kareem Abdul Jabbar scored 36 Points and to Platnar sparked a comeback by the los Angeles lakers. But coach Jerry West said the Dif Ference in wednesday night s playoff payoff Over the Golden state warriors was defense. The key to winning the game was our defense which was magnificent the former National basketball association All Star in his first season As a head coach said. The lakers trailed by 14 Points in the second Quarter but came on to whip the Warrior 97-84 in the seventh and final game of their Aba quarterfinal series. Tonight As the game went on their de sense got weaker and ours got said West whose club held Golden state to 55 Points through the final three quarters. For the 18th time this season the warriors scored fewer than than 100 Points and they lost All 18 games. Abdul Jabbar hauled Down his season High of 26 rebounds and commented when we were Down by 14. We did what we had to do. Started taking Good shots and making Good Ray and Rookie Robert Parish who alternated at Center for Golden state adjust four and 11 Points respectively. The lakers with the most victories Jolley discovers it s a lot More fun not to be saddling a Derby favorite . Louisville by. Api Leroy Jolley is Here for his third straight Kentucky Derby without the pressure of training the favorite and with a Colt who has ability but not always desire. I think it s a lot More fun said Jolley who sent out favored foolish pleasure to win the 1975 Derby and saddled favored honest pleasure for his runner up finish to bold Forbes last s always Good to have the Best horse but it s while Jolley docs not have the favorite this year he does have in for the moment a Colt several horsemen feel can upset unbeaten Seattle slew. I still think Seattle slew is a terrific horse Jolley said on a Rainy wednesday morning. But i feel some of the other horses have improved enough to Muster a Challenge. As for for the moment. Jolley said. The horse is basically lackadaisical an underachiever. He d give you absolutely nothing if he but for the moment was aggressive in winning the Blue grass stakes april 28, and the reason apparently was blinkers. Jolley tried blinkers on the Colt in a workout last year but they had no effect and he worked poorly. But after for the moment finished seventh in the Hollywood Derby. Jolley tried blinkers again. The Colt worked Well with them and then led almost All the Way in winning the Blue grass. It was time to do Jolley said of his decision to try blinkers again. Even if it s wrong you have to do some the moment who won Tho Blue grass stakes on a Sloppy track worked six furlongs in 1 131-5 on a wet Churchill Downs track wednesday. He worked with what a weather forecast is for a Cloudy warm and humid Derby saturday. But if it docs turn up wet. Mickey Taylor whose wife. Karen owns Seattle slew is confident the unbeaten favorite can handle slew s six races All have teen on fast tracks but Taylor said he s worked twice in the Slop he loves it hell move up on an off track " entries for the i i mile. $25.000-Addcd classic was to be taken thursday morning and it appears 15 or 16 3-year-Olds will be entered. It costs $1.000 to enter and another $3.500 to Harvey Vanier said a decision would be made thursday morning on whether to enter or. Louis f. Aitken s Kodiack the Winner of tuesday s seven fur Long Derby trial another development wednesday it was announced that Bill Shoemaker will Mako his 20th Derby appearance on get the axe. Shoemaker has three Derby wins other probables were Best person sir sir. Pap Lotc Flag officer. Affiliate. Steve s Friend. Nostalgia. Western Dusty run. Bob s Dusty. Sanhedrin and Gibo ulee. During the regular season own the Home court advantage for the semifinals starting Friday night against the Portland Trail Lamar came on in the second Quarter with his club trailing by 14 Points an sparked los Angeles to a 48-46 halftime Wilkes scored 10 Points in the first Quarter helping the warriors to a 29 18 advantage at the end of the period. The Abdul Jabbar Lamar and the Hom court advantage changed the complexion of the Home court advantage proved Cru Cial in the lakers warriors series. Neither team won on the Road. Lamar came in with two minutes gone in the second period and the lakers trailing 32-18. In the 10 minutes he played that Quarter the 6-foot-l american basketball association alumnus scored 10 Points hit Ting four of five Field goal attempts and a pair of free throws. Abdul Jabbar also scored 10 Points in Thep cried. The lakers increased their Lead to 69-66 at the end of the third period. The score went to 82-79 when Abdul Jabbar Don Chancy and cazzie Russell built the final warriors leading scorer. Hick barry1, had averaged 29 Points per game in the first six games of the series but got Only 15 in the finale. Wilkes wound up with 24. Scoring percentages Barry hit just seven of 20 Field goal at tempts and one free throw. From the Field the warriors hit just 38.7 per cent and the lakers 41.3.russell, who did most of the guarding on Barry scored 13 Points second highest among the lakers while Chancy and re serve guard Karl Tatum each scored a hit 14 of 25 Field goal at tempts and eight of 10 from the free threw the lakers trailed by 14, Lamar started them Back with two free throws and then Tatum hit from the Side and Lucius Allen dropped a warriors built the margin Back to 10 and then Lamar had three Field goals with Abdul Jabbar getting one As the lakers Cut the difference to six. As the Quarter came to an end. Abdul Jabbar hit for eight Points with Chancy and Lamar adding Field goals As the lakers went ahead the warriors pulled ahead by a Point with 4 25 left in the third period on a Field goal by Wilkes and two scores off the fast break by Gus Williams. But the lakers bounced Back and took the Lead for Good. The warriors loss was their eighth straight at the forum and also their eighth straight at the Arena in playoff action continued on Pooe 241 barnstorming newsmen Alert to possible embarrassment supervisory Eye fully As Groom Jack Jack " l i Louisville by. A barns 42 and 18 Are within easy walking distance of one another in the Churchill Downs stable area but this week they be been worlds , photographers and the just Plain curious swarm around the barn and the camper which serves As Headquarters for Karen and Mickey Taylor a personality plus couple who have made a big splash on the racing Are six Security guards at the barn and chained outside the camper is a Doberman the bar Are unbeaten Seattle slew the Kentucky Derby favorite and three of his challengers for the moment Sanhedrin and Gibo ulee. Bam 42 is the place to visitor left the scene which has become sort of a real life replay and tramped through the mud to Bam 18. Mike tinker a Young Man with a Quick smile greeted the visitor and said yes. Some members of the press had been by to ask him about Best person. They obviously came singly or in Small groups and they did t stay Long. Their main question was not How would rest person run in the Derby but would he run. I would t run him if i did t think he could finish at least said tinker. Owner . Partee found relaxing in the tack room added we were Well pleased with the stepping Stone Best Friend was third in that race last Satur Day. He s run better in the Derby than the stepping Stone. If i did t think we d be in the Money. I continued on Page 21
