European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 07, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday june 7, 1977 1mb staks and stripes Page 21 blazers grab Aba title in 6th game Byth Mcfarland Portland Lupin Bill Walton s favorite basketball fantasy has been to pass off to a teammate who made the shot that won the Aba championship. It did t quite come out that Way As the Portland Trail blazers nipped Philadel phia 109-107 sunday but Walton did get his hand on the Ball tipping out a missed George Mcginnis shot to teammate Johnny Davis who streaked Down the floor running out the final four seconds on the clock which spelled the championship Walton was Nan ii a the most valuable fans shake coliseum with cheers by Robert e. Locke Portland. Ore. Api nearly 13.000 foul stomping Finger shaking Portland fans Shook memorial coliseum with a sustained ovation As their Trail blazers claimed the City s first National Basket Ball association title. They beat the Philadelphia 76ers 109-107 to take a Best of seven series 4-2. I think the boys earned it said 12 year old Blanche Mcclellan. Mcclellan said she s been an enthusiastic Blazer fan for six years and. I think the boys have really paid Back those of us who stood by them All these  the Celebration turned briefly ugly As several Hundred fans most of them Young battled Security guards for Possession of the Basket nets. Several of the private guards were struck As they tried to Honor a Blazer request hat the players be Given the tournament Basket nets. Struggled with police a Ball boy. Hoisted aloft saved one net for the team the other net was taken to the cheers of the crowd by a teen Ager who wrapped it Over his shoulders struggled with police and dashed out of the building about 20 other teen agers ran interference and applauded the getaway. For the most part though fans drifted slowly and peacefully from the coliseum Many lingered on Trie floor. Ned and Betty Potter of Portland milled with the crowd wearing Matching red t shins emblazoned blazers Aba Cham  we Haven t missed a game this  Potter said. We just Felt in the beginning this was our year. We bought these shirts  chanting repeatedly pandemonium began with about 2 i min utes to go As the blazers held an eight Point Lead. Foot stomping fans Index Fin Gers aloft and frantically shaking Chan Ted. We re no. 1" Over and Over. Tickets for the game normally $5.50 to $12 50 were being hawked before the con test for up to $100 each. A new City Ordi Nance prohibiting ticket scalping had Little apparent effect As buyers and Sellers bartered openly in front of the main Entrance. Tip Elul fans without tickets held signs set King  woman who asked not to be identify a displayed a hand lettered sign Reading Bia or fan from Corvallis. I need one ticket my limit is $20 i be had several offers for $50. And one Young fellow wanted $100 " three Young Portland residents who said they were attending College in Seattle. Silt dejectedly in front of the coliseum. They said they were looking for anyone with tickets to sell but could t afford any thing near the going Price. This just in t  said one we be backed this team for several years and must f the people in there now just would t come out when they were losing. It s going to be a wild time  player of the championship series although Julius Erving of the 76crs put on a magnificent scoring display in the playoffs. But it was Walton s direction of the team oriented blazers that spelled the difference in the title matchup. Walton had 20 Points 23 rebounds. 7 assists and 8 blocked shots in game 6 As the blazers took their fourth straight from the 76crs to win 4 games to 2. Bob Gross most unheralded Small for Ward in the Aba was a hero in game 5 and was a major Factor in the championship game along with Walton. Lionel Hollins. Dans and Maurice Lucas Cross was High for the blazers with 24 a record standing room Only crowd of 12,951 went wild As their rags to riches team after Only seven years in pro Basket Bill. Won the sport s most coveted prize. Philadelphia made a last gasp charge to pull it out in the dying seconds and was trailing by two Points but Gross blocked a Lloyd free shot with five seconds left. Then Walton tipped the Mcginnis miss to Daws who raced Down the floor As time ran out it was the fourth straight win by port land Over Philadelphia and the first time since l%9. When the Boston celtics beat the los Angeles takers that a team losing the first two games of the championship series came Back to win. Portland again used an explosive period a tactic that became its offensive trademark in games 3 through 6, scoring 40 Points in the second Quarter with Walton Davis. Gross and Hollins the big gunners which put Portland up 67-55 at halftime. That was a Gap Philadelphia never quite closed although the 7gers made a run at it in the fourth period pulling to within five Points at 91-86 Early in the Quarter then getting to within two at the 18-Sccond Mark but As in three previous losses to Portland. Philadelphia could not catch up Erving put on a Brilliant 40 Point performance and Mcginnis broke a Long slump to score 27, but they could t do it. Aiding Gross were Walton and Hollins with 20 each Lucas added 15 and Davis 13. Philadelphia made it a Tough ballgame in the first period which ended at 27-27. Mcginnis got the first six Points for the to Gers who played a team game for the first time since game 2. And the Load changed hands seven times and the game was lied seven times in the opening period it was nip and Luck Early into the second period with the score lied 4040 on Mcginnis Basket with Little Over seven minutes left. That s when the explosion began with the blazers outscoring Philadelphia 17-2 in the next five minutes and it was Walton Hollins and Davis on the rampage. Walton had 23 rebounds and seven assists in directing his teammates to the Vic tory. Portland controlled the boards 55-41. And shot 51 per cent to 48 for the 76crs. Al though both teams hit 44 Field goals apiece. It was a two Point differential at the foul line that spelled the difference. Tile Box score Philadelphia 1107 Fig Fra it a r a i pts blazers Walton is most valuable Erving Mcginnis Jones Bibby Collins mix Dawkins free Catchings Bryant Dunleavy team rebounds totals 1712 53 31 2 0 0 1 0 44 29a 8 6 9 3 .1 6 0 4 0 91 6 4i 0 0 0 0 9 0 0u 19 7 7 00 0 0t 12 0 0 0 27 6 16 4 2 5 0 i 3 1 3 0 6 47 x 2 2 5 21 0 2 1 2 0 25 2 5 6i 3 0 1 3 1 3 1 40 2 i 10 6 6 2 4 9 0 2 0 28 107 Aba champions Bill Walton. Head and shoulders above everyone else Gross Lucas Walton Davis Hollins Calhoun Cal Twardzik Jones team rebounds totals Philadelphia 27 Portland 27technicalsnone. O Donnell. A12.951. Portland 1109 Fig Fra it fat r a i Pis 12 16 3 12 8 154 8 10 223 3 2 42 s 0 1 0 0 9 12 10 4 5 2.1 563 0 i 8 000 002 44 86 21 30 59 23 23 109 28 27 25107 40 24 18 109 officials Powers we proved we Are better team7 by Bob  Totland map Bill Walton s smile shone above the insanity of the Portland Trail blazers locker room. Tins was one of the Best games i be Ever played  Walton said a lot of Guys played Well and it was exciting we proved we arc the better team " the big. Quiet Portland team Captain was selected the most valuable player of the National basketball association championship series which the blazers ended sunday with a 109-107 Victory Over the Phil Adelphia 76ers. I be never coached a better player. I be never coached a better competitor i be never coached a better person than Bill Walton said coach Jack Ramsay Ramsay. Walton team owner Larry Weinberg and everyone else in the Vicinity were doused with Champagne As the championship trophy was presented by Aba commissioner Larry o been. They played team Ball. They played unselfish Ball. They Are the embodiment of what is Best in professional basketball said Weinberg Ramsay had the entire team comi into the interview room for the presentation of the trophy its the finest team i be Ever  in shouted they Are the finest people i be Ever couched if we had t won it. I d have file the same a in the subdued Philadelphia dressing r