European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 21, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                No match ups saturday May 21, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 23 playoff finalists 76ers and blazers Are compared player against player  a the Philadel phia 76ers and Portland Trail blazers Are two teams which love to run. Whichever one gets its running game going first an keeps it going longest is going to have a big Edge in the National basketball association playoff finals. But sooner or later the track meet Willcome to an end. The Pace will slow Down the teams will set up and the outcome will become a matter of match ups. Match ups in the pros Are like confrontations on a chess Board. If one player has a distinct physical advantage Over the Man playing him a smart coach will design plays to exploit that advantage then run those plays again and again until an adjustment is  comes the probing until one coach spots a different mismatch he thinks can pirates Edge dodgers in the 1 oth 6-5 continued from Page 11 cubs second setback in 14 games. Atlanta which had a 17-game losing Streak earlier this year extended its winning Streak to four. Niekro 2-7. Had picked up a Victory in Relief against Montreal tuesday night. He was in control most of the Way working out of a one out bases loaded Jam in the second inning. He fanned five and walked two. These last two victories Don t make up for the seven 1 lost said Niekro but it does Tell me i be still got the Niekro Knuckles of the last few  noted Atlanta manager Dave Bristol i just think he went through a slump like a Batter docs. He had never had one before and he just did t know How to Cope with it. It looked like he had his dancing Knuckles  astros 3, Phillies 2 Willie Crawford s sacrifice Fly capped a two run uprising in the eighth boosting Houston Over Philadelphia. A walk to Cesar Cedeno a single by Cliff Johnson and an error by losing Pitcher Gene Garber on Joe Ferguson s sacrifice loaded the bases for Houston with none out. After Bob Watson struck out. Ken bos Well beat out a slow roller to third base scoring Cedeno. Crawford then lifted his sacrifice Fly to right scoring Johnson. Winner Joaquin Andujar. 3-3. Scattered 10 hits in eight innings before leaving for a Pinch  killed us tonight said Philadel phia manager Danny Ozark. Also we left a lot of men on base and did t take advantage of the situations we needed to  padres a expos 2 Jerry Turner slammed a two run Homer and Winner Randy Jones got four innings of sparkling Relief help from Rollie fingers As san Diego Defeated Montreal and handed the reeling expos their ninth straight loss Jones pitched five innings before Leav ing with spasms in his pitching Arm he rave up six hits walked one and struck out one before fingers came in. Fingers re corded his seventh save giving up two hits and striking out three through the last four innings mels4. Iiants3 Home runs by John Milner and Lenny Hun lie led new York and Rookie Pitcher   Nair san  Todd. A � m Aro u . Was working on ali.,i,., i. It. ,.,m in Ini int when Terry which ice slurped a Nice run Homer for the . Thai finished timid. And skip l Kent relieved .villa1 tagged   Homer of the season in the fourth and handle hit his  in inning later both were off laser a Oliai Al be exploited and the process begins new. With the bust of seven playoff finals set to open sunday Here is a look at the match ups. Who will be playing whom their strengths and their weak Center Caldwell Jones and Darryl Dawkins is. Bill Walton with Walton healthy port land had the Best winning percentage in the Aba in the regular season and won 10 of 13 playoff games. Offensively he looks to pass rather than shoot and is As Good As any Center in the game at firing outlet passes to set up the fast break and finding cutters driving the Lane for layups. He can also score when needed. Jones is not much of a scoring threat which will permit Walton to Slough off and clog the Middle. Jones is in the lineup to play defense and Block shots. When the mixers want some punch baby Bull Daw Kins comes in a feet la i. 265 pounds of raw Power probably the most physical player in the game. But Dawkins has yet to learn How to harness his awesome strength to Best advantage. He can come off the Bench one night and turn a game around or he can commit untimely fouls and costly turnovers. Against either opponent Walton s versatility and basketball sense give Portland a Clear Edge. Power Forward George Mcginnis is. Maurice Lucas Lucas had the Best year of any big Forward in the league averaging 23 Points and 13 rebounds per game. He has become a truly impressive offensive ballplayer and a horse under the boards helping Walton ignite the blazers break. New Aba trophy Aba commissioner Larry o Brien shows off the new world championship trophy in new York. The 22-Carat creation of Gold Over Sterling Silver was de signed by Tiffany s and will be presented permanently to the Winner of the league playoffs each year. It has a Price tag of Over $7.000. A photo Nissalke edges West As Aba coach of year new York Impi Tom Nissalke. Who led the Houston rockets to first place in the Central division of the National basketball association was named Aba coach of the year thursday edging Rookie Roach Jerry West of the a Angeles  no Eivid 26 votes in the ballot ing of 06 Wii is and l Raj. A Krs 10 71 league cite s conduct Init lure the . Olis West Hoci to Hie sul a h bikers to the i Afifie division  and t it bust winning pc engage in the be Gie i 6wi, Rita it d 21 votes the run aim in votes wire distributed among n. In  under Nisa be. Who had previously coached Dallas. San Antonio and Utah of the american basketball association and Seattle of the Aba. The rockets went from 40-42 in 1s75-7b to 49-33 this year.  ens led his Success to two men. I Lugo president Nav Patterson and huh i us rugs. Fiina pm in nil manager a  in Hern  j Faith in  said n.-.s.ilki.-. When i got fired As  at ilk.  ,r Josh no ,  in cd via Maria men that it wis a mis take liter Hay Patter on hired me he hired  to  this Tram and he let me ouch it he in in i in a a fire and he i i t  i4ur-,s   " Mcginnis season has been spent adjust ing to playing alongside Julius Erving. The first time in his career that he has t been the main Man on a team. While his person Al statistics were off from his Aba Days he remains one of the tougher players in the  match up is a toss up a very High level toss up. Small Forward Julius Erving is Bob Gross with the new York nets Erving was the most explosive and exciting player in basketball with Philadelphia he modified his game to blend in with his teammates. The result has been enough to take the mixers to the Aba finals All year Long people have criticized or. J for keeping so much of his Talent under wraps but an Aba title would prove he was right. Gross is a runner a Hustler a scrapper who will have his hands full trying to deny Irving the Ball and Box him off the boards. Gross usually gets most of his Points on the front end of the blazers break but this May be nullified by the demands of playing ening honest. Strength an endless array of moves and the incentive of leading the mixers to an Aba title m the first pos merger season give Erving the Edge in this matchup. How big an Edge could decide the series. Shooting guard Doug Collins is. Lionel Hollins Collins is bigger and More experienced. Hollins May have a slight advantage in pure Speed Reno nov. A the Philadel phia 76ers arc 13-10 favourites to beat the Portland Trail blazers and win the National basketball association championship playoffs according to Hurrah s Reno and Tahoe race and sports books. In sunday s tint game of the Besl of seven series at Philadelphia the mixers Are four Point favourites. And quickness. These Are two explosive players capable of breaking Loose for 30 Points in any game. Both rate among the better off the Ball guards m the league. Play making guard Henry Bibby is. Dave Twardzik or Johnny Davis Bibby has done exactly what the mixers wanted putting his Long Range shooting on ice and concentrating in Stead on running the Ball up court and keep ing the front line Happy. Twardzik. An unknown to Aba folks a year ago won admiration for his scrappy hustling style of play. He is perhaps a better natural play make a than Bibby. But not in the same league As a shooter. Twardzik missed the los Angeles series because of injury but Davis filled in Brilli Antly. The unheralded Rookie showed he could run the team on offence apply con Stant pressure on defense and make his shots but the poise he displayed was the most surprising thing the experience he gained As a starter m the semifinals should serve him Well in the finals. The benches Philadelphia s most explosive Reserve guard Lloyd free suffered a fractured no and collapsed lung in the semis and could be subpar for the finals. Without him the mixers Are Short on backcourt men with Only Rookie Mike Dunleavy available. This could Hurt against Portland s pressure tac tics Hawkins. Steve mix and Joe Bryant Are a is rung Reserve front line for Portland. Davis and Herm Gilham Are two Quick backup guards who can keep the team running put Points on the Board  create turmoil on defense Lloyd Neal is a solid i Dpi fenced Reserve big Man arid Larry Ste is a Gobi Quick Small for Ward i Lai Coss hut Iio match for rung i strength the coat Kiv in Jack raiii.-.c.1 of i Illand and Gene slim of Philadelphia have taken their Luinis but they re Sigil at Wirk and All the i ther coaches in the league Are watching on to so they Mast have done something not