European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 22, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday february 22, 19b8 the stars and stripes Page 25 defenceless Aba s reputation does t fit by Bill Barnardas basketball writer almost from the Lime a basketball player takes Hii first dribble or shoots his first Layup he hears in. When you reach the Aba you can Check your defensive skills no the door on draft Day and Start firing away at the when i was in High school i used to say that because i seemed like there were too Many easy baskets says Utah s Karl Malone already a lop scorer in his third Aba  now that i m Here 1 know How Lough it to play defense against the Best athletes in the  there s a bit of irony attached to the no defense to the Aba generality. As More talented and virtually unstoppable players arrive in the Aba there is More demand for players who can slow Down the to tint of Points. And while defensive specialists like Seattle s Kevin Williams and Dudley Bradley of new Jersey get Aba Paw Hecks the Continental basketball association is loaded with skillful offensive players who can to or wont guard  was thought that if you could score you could Don t realize the Aba has inc Best players from All the Colleg game. Even when you double and triple team Guys they can still  did that to Michael Jordan and he Mill got 39 on us. We did thai to Larry Bird and he gets 35. No Mailer Whai you do Guy Are going to  Alex English of Denver the Aba � 14th All time leading scorer agreed Wilh Johnson that More concentration is being placed on the Best scorers but the results Aren t always notice Able in the scoring stats. Defense is gelling a lol  English said. It s a Lolliot her 10 get your shots off today because everyone double teams the top  Denver annually is among the leaders in Points scored and Points allowed but English said that does t mean that the nuggets Are playing poor defense. Five years ago the nuggets led the Aba Wilh 123.2 Points per game and allowed a league leading 122.6, Thi season they re scoring seven fewer Points per game. Ailini Firdma ,. -., fewer Points per game than they did in 1982-83while-still ending the Aba. But the nuggets arc giving up ninej382-83. English said. Dale Ellis. 30 for slumping Somes supersonics end losing Streak at 4 lit he associated pres East Rutherford no. Dale Ellis scored 30 Points and Tom Cham Bers added 28 saturday As inc Seattle supersonics built an is Point first Hal Lead and then held off a late new Jersey rally to defeat the nets 113-101 and snap four game losing Streak. Seattle which had lost nine of 10, saw new Jersey pull within 97-94 with 5 26 to play when Dudley Bradley capped a 7 spurt with a 3-Point held goal. Bui that was As close As new Jersey got As Seattle scored h of the next 13 no Roundup Points including seven by Ellis and Sixby Chambers. For inc second straight night the net were without Orlando Woolridge their second leading scorer. He told the cuban hour before the game that he had been involved in a Auto Accident Friday on inc new Jersey Turnpike after miss ing the team  club did not know where he was for almost 23 hours though. Story one 27. Xavier Mcd Anici had 17 Points for Seattle while Buck Williams scored 23 for the nets and Roy Hinson had 21points and 11 rebounds in other games on saturday rockets 115, bulk i 109 Houston Purvis Short came office Bench and scored a season High 33 Points leading inc Houston rockets Over the Washington bullets 11 i-109. Jim  also had a season-high22 Points and 13 rebound and Kacem Olajuwon added 23 Points and 12 re Bounds while guards sleepy Floyd and Allen a Cavell had nine assists  Malone led Washington with 27 Points and i i  120, clippers 10 Salt Lake City Karl Malone Icord 32 Points and John Stockton had 21 assists Lor the second straight night Ashe Utah jazz Defeated the los Angeles clippers 120-103, Sura 128, nuggets 108phoenix,  Nance scored 29 Points and Walter Davis added 28 As the Phoenix suns ended it Shiw game losing Streak by beating the Denver nuggets 128-108. In Mchale whose  scoring you re seeing More lower scoring games English  �8i�j� 3ite�jm�itep mfi5pasaire a Isle so three time most valuable player Larry Bird said that defens Ewill win games for you. Sometimes your shots Don t go Maori who can player knows what he s going to  a and Wil game for. You. Don m to Kvia Williams do that. Defense has become More comply you and you an still win. If you keep turnovers Down and placated. It used to be just straight Man to  har defense., All Star Forward Xavier Mcdaniel of the supersonics said Williams is used As a defensive spark the Way other teams have a sixth Man who is counted to come of Fth Bench and  things Don t go Well for us offensively we Send Kevin in there to disrupt things Mcdaniel said. We Call him the tasmanian Devil in practice he gels so rough thai we have to Tell him to Cool  statistics from pail seasons arc difficult to Eval uate because they Don t take into account the Pace of the game which has As much of an in but on the number of paints scored As offensive and defensive  it does appear that More teams Are exerting More Effort at the defensive end. _ 10  averaged less than 110 on defense. Defense is stronger and better than it was when i came into the league in 1979 the lakers magic Johnson said. People Washington s Moses Malone said that technology has mad defense Betler. There was double learning when i came into the league but we have All that videotape now and you can really Tell what works against a Guy Malone said. It s just not True when people say there is no defense in the Aba Philadelphia s Maurice Cheeks said. Defense helped me get into the league and stay Here for nine  Aba defense is underrated bul in takes icam defense  Charles Barkocy of the 76crs said. Whai s Over rated is Man to Man defense Barkley has been criticized by 76en coaches for resting on defense and going All out on  reminded that red Auerbach who coached More Vic tories than anyone in Aba history said that players should Pace themselves on offence and always wort hard on defense Barkley said that s Bull. In my situation in Philadelphia have to score rebound and play defense. There s no time to rest Hrudney Isles Blank Hartford by the associated press Uniondale. . Alan Kerr scored Iwick and Kelly Hrudny stopped 29 shots for his fifth career shutout Ashe new York islanders blanked the Hartford whalers 3 saturday night the Victory extended the islanders unbeaten Streak to four games. After a scoreless first period Kerr notched his Lily goal of the season 47 seconds into the second period beating Hartford goaltender Steve weeks be tween the pads with a 20-Fooier from inc right Circle. Kerr made in 2 at 12 10, beating weeks from the Slot with a slap Shol Lafontaine who set up Kerr s first goal completed the scoring with his 37th goal a slap Shol from inc left Circle that enl past weeks catching Glove Wilh 2 01 remaining. Randy Wood recalled from Spring Field before the game had assists on All three islander goals. Hrudney s shutout was Bis second of the season. In Oil arc games on saturday Cini tens 5, Nord Quea 3 Montreal Slephany hither ended a six game scoring slump Wuh a pair of goals saturday night  Quebec. Richer Montreal s leading scorer with34 goals had been held to two assists since feb. 3. He tied the score 1 with a first Peri Nhi Roundup of slap Shol before providing Montrea with a 4 margin by beating  Mario Brunetta Early in the second Peri  canadians moved into first place in the Adams division one Point ahead of the Idle Boston Bruins. The other Canadien goals came from Bob Gainey Gilles Thibaudeau and Kiel Dahlin. Thibaudeau recalled a Day earlier from Montreal s Ahl affiliate in Sherbrooke notched his first goal of the season and second of his nil career. The nordic us Gol goals from Michel Oulch his 32nd, Terry Carkner and Tommy alb Clin. Montreal goaltender Brian Hayward who made 30 saves has beaten the nor i ques in All three of his appearance against them this season and has a career Mark of 10 against Quebec. Capitals 3, North stun 0 Bloomington Minn. Clin Malarchuk recorded his second shutout in As Many nights and was supported by two Power play goals saturday As hot handed Washington beat Minnesota. Malarchuk who blanked Winnipeg 6 Friday night turned away 33 Minnesota shots to give the capitals their six straight Victory since the All Star break. Minnesota has lost three straight game Sand is 0 in its. Last eight starts. Minnesota plagued by injuries All sea son absorbed another blow saturday night As Center Dennis Maruk suffered a broken Kneecap when he was struck by Agrant Ledyard snapshot. Maruk will miss hit rust of the season. The shutout was the third of Malar Eshuk s career. He has not allowed a goal in his last 127 minutes and 30 seconds of playing time. Furac 6, Blaes 3 St. Louis Joe Mullen. Gary Rob erts and Al Mclnnis each had a goal and an assist  Loob chipped in with two assists leading Road mired Cal Gary Over St. Louis Calgary s Victory gave the flames a j record on their 11-game Road trip necessitated by the Winter olympics i Calgary. The rams skated to a i Lead with14 19 to go and wound up with six differ ent players scoring in the game. King 3, Milel Orifici Inglewood. Calif. Roland Mel arson slopped 21 shots and los Angeles scored three Power play goals in the Sec Ond period to beat Toronto. Mclanson got his fourth career no shutout and second of the season. Red flags 6,  1 Detroit second year Man Shawn Burr scored two goals one of them Short handed and assisted on an other As Norris Leader Detroit coasted past Chicago