European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 15, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                May 1977 the stars and stripes Page 17 76ers torpedo need Only one win to gain Aba finals Houston up Doug Collins scored 36 Points and Julius Erving added 29 Friday night to Lead Philadelphia to a 107 95 win Over the Houston rockets and move the 76crs to within one Victory of clinching the Aba Eastern conference the win gave the 76ers a 31 Lead in the Besto seven game 5 will be played in Philadelphia sunday the 76ers broke open the game in the fourth Quarter with the score tied 78 Collins led a 124 Philadelphia burst by hitting five straight Moses Malone of the who had 30 Points in wednesday nights Houston was limited to Only one Field goal and three free throws for five Points in Fri Days Rudy Tomjanovich was High scorer for Houston with 24 Points while Calvin Murphy had 22 and Kevin Kunnert who had 10 Points in the opening guard John who pleased to Mitt you Maurice Bill Walton and Lionel Hollins from left of the Trail blazers arc Ull hands As they triple team Kareem Abdu Jabbar of the los an Geles lakers on Portland Way to a sweep of the Dpi photo blazers sweep series with lakers to reach Aba championship round by Bob Baum a the Portland Trail spurred by the play of Mau Rice Lucas and Rookie Johnny Defeated the los Angeles lakers 105101 Friday night to move into the Champion ship round of the National basketball association the blazers swept the Busto seven semifinal series 40 and will play the Winner of the Philadelphia Houston series for the Aba who came to Portland from Louisville of the no defunct american basketball scored 18 of his Tea High 26 Points in the second half As the blazers fought off a tenacious Laker los Angeles was leading 6764 when Kareem Abdu Jabbar Drew his fifth foul with left in the third Abdul Jabbar led All scorers with 30 Points and played the entire fourth period without picking up another Portland regained the Lead 7371 on free throws by Lucas with left in the third period and never trailed the blazers built a 10point with 10 minutes left in the the Pacific division Champion lakers made one last run at the upstart closing within four on Don Fords Basket with 5 is to but baskets by Bill Walton and Davis cushioned the then Davis stole the Ball from Abdu Jabbar and scored with to go in the game to make the score 10393 and the lakers never got closer than the final Davis scored 21 while Walton added 19 and Lionel Hollins 18 for the Blaz Lucius Allen scored 18 for the who hit nine of 12 Fiel goal at started All four games in the series in place of injured guard Dave Johnny Davis probably aged five years just playing in the we Are a Young but we play with a lot of conf Lucas a jubilant Portland coach Jack Ramsay praised his entire roster but had special Praise for Waltons defense against Abdul i dont know that anyone has played Kareem As Well As Bill has in this 1 have a great respect for but if i were to Start a basketball id Start with Bill los Angeles coach Jerry West said his team simply accomplished the impossible this year in winning a league High 53 games during the regular 82game West said Portland quickness and strength inside was the major and he said the outcome might have been different had Allen not missed the first two games because of a dislocated Ford 6 11 Russell 00 Abdul a Abdar 12 6 9 Allen t 67 Chanel 3 m Arr Wirty Lamar 0 04 t Alum 2 00 Kupek totals 42 17 Portland 10s s 01 Lucas 11 44 Walton 3 i Davis 917 Hollins 7 44 Gilliam 211 Neal Walker 00 totals4i1illtoj 1016101 fouled total foul Slot Angeles Portland teen Cal Lucas credited in Blazer win up Portland guard Johnny Davis explained the Trail blazers sweep of los Angeles for the Aba Western conference title very simply Friday coach Jacki Ramsay wanted us to put full court pressure and disrupt the continuity of the Laker of that the blazers games one through and a 20yearold Rookie out of played a role in All four Ramsay Davis has gotten about five seasons of experience subbing for Dave Twardzik in the last five playoff i just got the Opportunity to play and tried to step in and do what the coach wanted me to Davis asked How he Felt being a Rookie in such a key he i Haven had time to think about ask me after we win the Aba Cham a Maurice another Star in the Blazer we played Well and happened to do Well against a very Good basketball and he agreed with Ramsay that Bill Walton probably played Kareem Abdu Jabbar As Well As anyone possibly Ramsay 1 really Admire All of my but we could not have won without i have a great Deal of respect for but if i had to Start a lineup with a Choice Between the two big id pick los Angeles coach Jerry West Portland tremendous pressure in the Back court Hurt us where were Mast Vul the Blazer Speed was a difference in the series and i want to congratulate Portland for they did a magnificent now ill just sit Back and evaluate this season in relation to myself As coach and if i decide this is what i should be doing ill continue on and do my As for Portland chances in the championship series against either Philadelphia or West there certainly capable of doing they have a magnificent a tremendous Power Forward and great Back court Abdu Jabbar said the five fouls didst make me too i just tried to play my but West thought the fifth per Sonal on his big Center Hurt the had 10 assists 16 Points for the and Kunnert combined to give Houston a 2622 Lead at the end of the first Erving was High scorer for Philadelphia in the opening period with 10 the 76ers moved out to a 3833 Lead Midway through the second Quarter with Collins and Mike Dunleavy doing the scor but Murphy and Tomjanovich started hitting from outside and Houston moved Back in front at the half Murphy had 12 Points in the second Quarter while Erving again was High Point Man for the 76ers with the Lead changed hands ii times in the third which ended with Philadel phia leading Malone Drew his fourth personal at and was replaced by Dwight Jones for the Collins had 11 Points and Henry Bibby 10 for the 76crs in the third Lucas with eight and Kunnert with seven were the rockets leading scorers in the the 76ers played without guard Lloyd who suffered a rib injury wednesday Forward George Mcginnis played Only half the game and was held to three Philadelphia 1071 Erving ii 11 c Jows 11 flip Nylz 5 Collins 14 Bio Dawkins 0 04 Dunleavy tolals4123 Houston 95 1 Tom Lanoice 10 44 Kunnert 10 14 Lucas Murphy Jonnson 0 Jones 0 22 Kennedy 00 11 2 oxen too 00 tolalt40 27 27 31107 71 9s fouled total lout Philadelphia hous ton sonics name Hopkins As head coach Seattle a Bob who says he could have handled the Job six or eight years finally Rose to the lop Friday when he was named to replace Bill Russell As head coach of the Seattle super sonics of the National basketball Assoc a the 42yearold Hopkins was Given a oneyear contract by sonics president and principal owner Sam who last week reached agreement with Russell to buy out the fifth and final year of russells annual contract As the clubs coach and general Over the last three he Hopkins has operated under severe and difficult conditions but he met the Challenge and deserves the Chance and support to do it on his Schulman told a news con Ference introducing his new Schulman also announced the appoint ment of Lenny a former sonic player and to the newly created position of director of player and Les former head basketball coach and athletic director at Seattle Pacific As Hopkins Zollie the sonics executive vice completed Schulmann front shuffling by assuming the other half of russells old that of Gen eral i dont feel elated about this Job coaching an Aba said who becomes the sonics sixth coach in the clubs Stormy 10year 1 feel like six or eight years ago i could have held the the work i have been doing recently has reaffirmed my belief i could have been doing this All i accept it As a to me its continued on Page 20