European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 7, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday. April 7. 1987 the stars and stripes. Page 23 commentary or. J a modern Jackie Robinson he knew How to Lolai on the basketball court but carrying himself outside the Arena was thereal trick. People thought i was flamboyant the lift of the parly Julius Erving said recently. I had to keep playing mind games with  thai quiet struggle to maintain his real identity is a Side people do not always see or Erving. They May not have noticed it last Friday when the new Jersey nets retired his old uniform number and they May not have noticed it when the kicks honoured him before monday afternoon s game at Madison Square Garden but his Public Persona is very important to him. Erving has fought off he stereotypes to use his word since he became a Black superstar. In his own Way he became a worthy successor to Jackie Robin son who joined the major leagues or baseball 40yean ago this week knowing he was carrying his race on his shoulders. Should he fail should he even display his own Strong wit and Biling opinions Rob Inson knew he might set Back Progress Tor decades there was nothing that crucial in the career of Erving but he did come into the National basketball association when Many people were saying the league was in trouble because it had become dominated by Blacks and because drugs were becoming More of a problem for athletes with Money to bum. In a quid Way he witnessed his Faith and spoke out against drugs and tried to be a positive Force. Did he succeed 1 confess to a Bias because Julius was the Best Man at my brother s wedding and i consider him and Turquoise As family friends. When sports fans lament the absence of heroes in our time i came up with names like Steve Garvey. Arthur Ashe Wayne Gretzky Bill Bradley and recently Jackie Joyner Kersche David Robinson and Mike Tyson. Julius Erving is always the first name i men Tion. He had the one Throat gripping fight with Larry Bird that embarrassed both of them when they saw the photographs but his conduct has been exem Plary from the Day he look the court for the Virginia Squires in the old american basketball association. He could turn nearly 360 degrees in the air As verified by the sequence photographs of him soar ing Down the right Lane going past Kareem Abdul Jabbar in mid air turning behind the Basket and coming out again on the other Side of Kareem. And scoring. Of course scoring. Those moves were not meant for show i be always tried to Leach basketball in its Funda mental version Erving said. I want to give Young sters something to work with the basics. The purists cringed at the Huey top play but the purists had to give in. This was not a hot dog play it was a Good  some people talked about his behind the Back for Ward Bounce pass his leaping Tomahawk dunks from the foul line As if they were reams premeditated routines of the Harlem globetrotters. They also assumed he turned 360 degrees in person too. People looked at doctor j on the court and they assumed he was the Best dancer that he would Tell Alt the jokes Erving said. What an injustice. Peo ple compared me with Connie Hawkins with Elgin Baylor but never to Jerry West or Rick Barry that s a stereotype Loo what he meant was that Black players May still be perceived As entertainers showmen but not necessarily As champions As pure driven winners. The difference is Subtle but important to Erving. This is not a crusade but it would Register 7 he said i wanted to make people understand we re All different in the Way we use our gifts. I became More philosophical. This enabled me to build a reputation off the court so different from my playing  he is retiring As an elderly Wise Man of the league but he paused to recall his entry into the league in 1976, when Roy Boc sold him to Phila Delphia in a desperate bid for solvency. Erving had been proud of the All for one mentality of the younger league the sense of commonality but he did not find that in the older league much less on the 76crs, i was taken Aback by the Aba by the ego trip Ping by some of the players who were not All that Good anyway. I saw jealousies of older players to rookies. I saw people criticizing the Leaden management had to import Moses Maine before Erving won his Aba title in 1983, but by then his image was secure and the league was More stable than it had been. In the late 70s, people were turned off by the league but now people want to be part of it he said. There s a higher  to Htwe to Tim lakers turn Back nuggets mixers Edge celtics in of from press dispatches Denver All it takes to beat the los Angeles lakers claims Denver coach Doug Moe is flawless basketball Moe s nuggets weren t quite up to the task sunday and the lakers pulled away in the final Quarter to a 126-118 Victory they Are so Good you can t afford to make any mistakes Moe said we made a few in the last Quarter and they certainly took advantage. We had a Cou ple of defensive lapses took a couple of bad shots and they ran the Lead from one to seven just like that. We had a lot of Good performances alot of Guys who played just great. And i thought the lakers really got alter it and really wanted to  James worthy scored seven straight Points to give los Angeles the Lead at the Start of the final Quarter and magic Johnson later scored 11 Points in a three minute Span to Pace the lakers Johnson finished with 23 Points 11 rebounds and 10 assists the fourth game be has recorded double figures in those categories. If you let Denver get a jump on you Early you can be in for a lot of trouble los Angeles coach pal Riley said. When magic hit that one 3-Poinler for a 119-107 Lendi Felt pretty Good about our chances. Once we got the Lead int double figures i figured it would be Tough for them to come  the Triumph gave los Angeles 60-1$, its third straight 60-win season. It also reduced to one the lakers magic num Ber against Boston to Clinch the Home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Denver fell to 34-42 and Tost for just the second time in its last seven games. Riley said clinching the Home court Edge is vital. I really feel the playoffs Are going to be extremely competitive this season and so we re going to go hard after every Edge we can  Ritey noted his lakers 34-3 at the no Roundup forum Are pretty Tough at  the nuggets Mike Evans scored the first Basket of the fourth Quarter to give Denver ,197-96 Lead with 11 12 remain ing. Bui worthy connected on a three Point play with 10 06 left and then scored consecutive baskets for a 104-99 Laker Kad. Johnson hit a 3-Point Basket with 4 25remaining for a 119-107 Lead the lakers biggest of the game worthy had 22 Points Byron Scott 21 and . Green 17 for the lakers. Kareem Abdul Jabbar scored is including his 15,000th career Field goal an Aba All time High Alex English led Denver with 29 Points and Lafayette lever added 27. In other games sunday 76en 106, celtics 104 of Philadelphia Charles Barkley scored 28 Points including a key tap in with 1 19 left in overtime to lift Phila Delphia by Boston. Barkley tapped in his own missed shot to give the 76ere a 105-104 Lead and Roy Hinson hit one free throw for a 106-104 advantage Boston s Larry Bird who had 39points. 12 assists and 10 rebounds shot an air Bull at the Buzzer to give Phila Delphia the win. Cliff Robinson added 22 Points for Philadelphia. Boston playing without guard Danny Ainge who had the flu received 29 Points from Kevin Mihalc. The celtics scored the first five Points of the extra period on a three Point shot by Bird and a Layup by Robert Parish before David Wing  hit a jumper for Philadelphia and Barkley scored a fast break Basket to bring the 76crs within 104-103 with 3 18 left. In regulation Barkley hit two free throws to tic the score at 99 with 56 seconds to play after the celtics had gone ahead 99-97 on Bird s three Point play. After Bird missed a jumper Andre Toncy failed to gel a shot off As the Buzzer sounded to Force overtime. The 76ers scored five straight Points to take a 95-94 Lead after the celtics had scored 11 in a Row for a 94-90 advantage. Mihalc s Basket gave the celtics a 96-95 Lead before Tim Mccormick i tap in put Philadelphia ahead 97-96 with 1 24 logo. Pistons 115, Bucks 107 Pontiac Mich. Rookie John Sal Ley scored a career High 28 Points Sun Day night to Lead Detroit Over Milwaukee. Saltey scored 12 Points in the first Halfast the pistons look a nine Point Lead and the 7-Fooler, who played College Ball a Georgia tech added 11 in the fourth Quarter to help Detroit pull away. The pistons largest Lead was 125-105 in the final minute. The Victory lifted second place de troit within 1 to games of Idle Atlanta in the Central division. Third place Mil Waukee dropped six games Back. Sally also had 10 rebounds and five blocked shots. Isiah Thomas and Adrian Dantley added 18 Points each for de troit. Milwaukee was Lead by former Pis ton Ricky Pierce with 28 Points and Terry Cummings with 22. War Lorii 120, spurs 119 san Antonio Texas Chris mul i in made three straight baskets in Over time to Lead Golden state to a Victory Over san Antonio that clinched the warriors first playoff berth in 10 years. The three overtime shots from Mullin who had 21 Points Pul Golden stole ahead 120-112 with 1 28 remaining in overtime. Joe Barry Carroll added 29 Points for the warriors. James worthy. Sparks . Rally