European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday december 19,19b7 the stars and stripes Page 21 grrr a Tbs plur a ibid go la Sampson the new Warrior it was More of a reef to get away from Fitch Houston api Ralph Simpson said Claih Hill Hili i is the reason ii Nas traded by Houglun to Liu i Olden Stan warriors. My Only problem was Vii Hill Sampson said in a interview t Rani Oakland published thursday by the Houston caul in 1 even gel rid of me with the 7-Fpol-4 Sampson and guard Sieve Harris were traded b Llie a Ockels saturday for Center Joe hairy Carroll and guard sleepy Flo a. Sampson said hat although in was surprised by the tradi1. And his family was upset it might lie a he could return to playing Center a Posi Tion he surrendered in Houston to Akcam Olajuwon. Hut in was mori1 of a Relief to get away from Fitch he said. Sampson Creplin Sivad his troubles with the rockets never were with the other players. I never had any problems with any of them he said. I never complained shout them and 1 never heard them complain Aboul me. I Don t think there Are hard Sampson said filch has got an excuse every year. He s always got a Crutch lie s always complaining at the end thai he docs l have a Good Point guard and every year he did t do anything to go Pel one. I Don t think he wanted one in cause then people would pc expected him to go All the Way and he can t Han dle Hal kind of pressure. Now he s got one in sleepy but if they come up Short hell just blame in on All the new faces in the Middle of the year. Just wait and on his radio show thursday Over Houston station Koda filch denied Sampson s accusation. Anyone Hal knows me 1 would Hope they would t believe that having a Good excuse for losing is nol enough to make me feel Good about losing Fitch said. Sampson said he thought the pockets could have bin the Nha s dominant team in the late i Sand 1990s. Ill miss having thai Chance and play ing with he said. I liked everything about Sampson said filch Lold him Aboul the Trade Afler the team returned from a game in Chicago late . He said i Don t know wha Jhc Deal is i Dun i know Lial s going on and he marts to give me a lecture about How i should t talk to certain writers that in s Only going to gel me Anlo trouble. "1 said what arc you talking Abouav what s the Deal .1and he said Well you and Sieve Ham have been traded to to Jokin slate for Joe Barry and Sampson said Fitch told him i Don l believe it. Nobody s told me and no body s contacted Sampson said he went Home and called his agent conc 1 Crry who said he had t heard anything about the Trade. He called right Back and said. Yep you be been traded Bui general Man Ager Ray Patterson s phone was off the Hook filch s phone was Busy and he Perry did t talk to any of them. He talked to a Friend of his in he Nha who knew what was going on and was Lold thai it was said he did t have my number because my wife had pollen a new one a few Days before hut any number of peo ple in the organisation had it. The thing is if he wanted it. He could be gotten it and called me. Somebody could have. Ray Charlie rockets owner Charlie Thomas. Fitch. I did t hear from any of them. 1 still Haven t. In s kind of sad in ended that Sampson also accused Fitch and the rockets of turning their Heads to drug use by Lewis Lloyd and Mitchell wig gins who were dismissed from the team last knew Lloyd and Wiggins were doing drugs he said. Fitch knew it pall son knew it. All of he players knew it. And they did t want to do any thing Aboul in until they had to. You can t Tell me they could t have gotten both of those Guys into the rehab Center. From a basketball standpoint they d have been out in .10 Days and Back Abr the playoffs. On inc personal Side these two Guys would t be banned from making a living for two years and maybe have their careers ruined and finished for Good. They did t to anything until they had to do filch thursday the Alle gation As an absolute we did Cvar Lhing we could do that we possibly could legally or otherwise filch said. Ralph Sumpson in jumps Karym Abdul jabber in win Lipoff thursday flight. Ralph s 24 Points not enough to beat lakers Oakland. Calif. A Ralph Sampson in his debut for the Colden stale warriors scored 24 Points but in was t enough to overcome magic John son s 31 Points in a 11 3-106 los Angeles lakers Victory. Johnson tossing in driving Hooks led the lakers in a 22-5 surge in the final to wipe out an inspired Effort earlier by the 3-Lft warriors. James worthy and Kiron Scull Rath added 21 Points fur tile Aba Pacific l i vision la Itig lakers who trailed 101 i a cure Marling their winning Sun. Sampson s fiery Pla and assortment of dunks Csc Lilied the sellout Conwil. Us he faded in the fourth Quarter sir ing Only five Points and allium a the i jokers to control the boards. He Irish cd Mali fight rebounds. The warriors Sampson Era opened with a minute Long standing ova lion � Aba Roundup the third sellout crowd of the year. 15,025, followed by Quick action on the court by the 7-foot-4 Center. Sampson easily Oul jumped 7-2 Kareem Abdill Jabbar at the lip off Send ing the Ball in Terry Teagle. Who hit a jumper. Less than two minutes later. Sampson scored his first Busker As a Warrior a Dunk Lioi on an Alley top pass from Rod Higgins. Sampson followed a few minutes Ijler Stith a spectacular Gnu under the Back Board and Over Abdul Janchar for a Tush or Dunk slut a Rouglin the Iroil tits feet. After scoring Diphl pints in the him period to match Johnson Anil Scon and keep the warriors within two of inc Lak ers. 2h-2h, Sampson displaced an Mien Siu and emotion the Crown rack Sofrom his unpopular predecessor Joe Harry Carroll. It came when Sampson grabbed a re bound Early in the second Quarter brought the Hall up court and passed Loben Mcdonald for a Layup and foul. Sampson pumped his Fisl in the air. Slapped hands with Mcdonald and set Oil another Roar from the crowd. The lakers did t idly watch Samp Ion. Johnson and Wonky each scored Iii Points in the second period and led a Iii i spurt in help i a Angeles take a 61-53 half univ Lead. The warriors led in Sampson and Larn Smith. Ill secured the lakers 15-5 at the a Arl of the third Quarter in take a Fis lib Lead and Pinin the final or red with an svs-1 advantage. In other it \ games thursday hulls 1uu he ado scoring a season High 52 Chi univ 1 Jordan triggered a 12 0 spurt in a 2 51 Span in the final Quarter to tire Chicago past Cleveland. Bullets is. Pacers Lan Xiv or my. Lernard King scored on a drive with 10 seconds left in overtime to snap a lie and Lead washing ton Over Indiana. 76ers 1 16, kicks new i Wal Charles Harum scored 27 of his to Points in the first half and added i i in the final 4 i is As i Lola Jethu Deli Teil no a Froeli list Kis no s Mieuel care grabbed a earner Hii h 2.1 Reni Pihis hid Mike win Hin shred 2 up ills i i of ail Fel s Jials . Sinics in Kin a 1iw s Lull loin plumbers Omu Hod his High with 42 i hints and Javier Mcl Laniel Lud is of Bis 2s in a two Iii file Down the Helch As Seattle lick id i Iii no
