European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 26 the stars and stripes tuesday May 30,1989 lakers top suns to capture third playoff sweep by alter Burky a bib i magic Johnson if the linkers drives past Eddie Johnson of the suns in game 4 sunday. Y Alt y Phoenix api the los Angeles lakers keep making history and the Pho enix suns Learned another hard lesson. Byron Scott scored 12 of his career play olt Best 35 Points in the final 9 56sunday As los Angeles swept its third straight playoff series with a 122-117 Vic Tor Over the suns. The two time defending Champion lakers now Advance to the Aba finals for the eighth time this decade As the seek their Sim title of the 1980s. Eight times in 10 years that s pretty said lakers coach Pat Riley who won his 98th Aba playoff game one Short of red Auerbach s record. I think we be opened a few eyes. You can Call it respect. In a Subtle Way i think our Guys Are motivated by that. We went out and showed what we Are world los Angeles will face either Chicago or Detroit in the finals. The bulls own a 2-1 Lead in that Hest-of-7 series that was to re sume with game 4 monday in Chicago. Well be ready to play whoever we face. We re just Happy to be in the said magic Johnson who scored 10 of his 21 Points in the fourth Quarter and finished with 20 assists and six rebounds. We re health our Bench is playing Well. Everything is clicking right got to keep it the lakers Are 11-0 in the playoffs this season an Aba record with sweeps of Portland three game Seattle and now Phoenix. They have won 16 consecutive games dating to the regular season and 13 in arow in the playoffs including last year. Phoenix has now lost All six playoff series to the lakers getting swept three times. They Hurt our feelings. That s All they Hurt said suns coach Cotton Fitsim Mons. They re the team of the 80s but we might be the learn of the 90s. Whenever quit but the lakers were just too Good. They have versatility inc Changa blk parts and they Lake advantage of every Chance you give los Angeles led 87-74 after the third Quarter and 91-78 with 9 56 remaining after Scott s third 3-Pointer of the game los Angeles sixth in 10 attempts. Tom Chambers rallied Phoenix by scoring 17 of his Carcer playoff High 41 Points in the fourth Quarter including 7 in a 2 02 Span that keyed a 10-4 Johnson s 3-Point play with 53 seconds left Cut the suns deficit to 116-114. But Michael Cooper hit two free throws with 38 seconds left and magic Johnson who had 10 Points in the final 8 27, made two foul shots with 22 seconds remaining to put los Angeles up 120-114.a 3-Poinlcr by Eddie Johnson brought Phoenix within 120-117 with 14 seconds left before Scott s free throws two seconds later scaled los Angeles Victory and sweep no. 3."the Way they played in the playoffs was an education for us Chambers said. We still think we can beat them. We d love to meet them again next year Loo. Hut i be never seen a team play Bel Ter than they played today never. Every time we d make a run they d re Spond. They deserve to make the finals. They really worthy had 20 Points Orlando Woolridge 14 Points and five of los an Geles 10 blocked shots and . Green 13 Points plus 11 Johnson finished with 22 Points while Eddie Johnson added 15 for the suns who shot 48 percent from the Fiel compared with the lakers 55 percent. Chambers who had made Only 24 of 66 Field goal attempts through the firs three games was 17 for 28 sunday. His previous career playoff High was 38 Points on May 14, 1987, in a double of Crainie game against Houston when he was with s previous career High in the offs had been 31 , who had 10 second period Points hit two stuffs in the final 1 41 As the los Angeles led 60-49 at halftime. Play Olio Emmo from Page 21 want to hang in there and Sec what when Andretti fell out Unser picked up the Chal Lenge. Little Al look the Lead briefly when Fittipaldi pitted under the yellow Light. Fittipaldi Well Back in front on the next Lap when Unser made a pit Slop and built his Lead to 16 seconds with 20 laps to go. He could t hold it then either losing All but a second when the yellow came out after Tero Palmroth lost a wheel. Fittipaldi took another pit Stop but Unser gambling he would have enough fuel to finish the race stayed on the Irack. I knew i did t make a pit Stop because i was talking to my Crew Fittipaldi said. I asked them when did he Stop they said they did t Fittipaldi flirted with disaster himself on the last pit Stop when his engine almost Seal cd As he headed Back to the track. Trial izod thai and tried to get Back to first gear he said. The engine was Beautiful the whole the Green Light came out again with 14 laps remain ing and Unser caught Fittipaldi with four laps to go Selling up the thrilling wheel to wheel Spring. Chief Steward Tom Binford said the bump appeared to be unavoidable and he saw no reason to consider a Penally. People look at it different ways Aslo who was at fault or not at Binford said. Unser led Only five laps during the race. The Only other Lap leaders were Michael Andretti for 35 laps and Mario Andretti and Raul to Csc one Lap apiece. To Csc another brazilian finished third followed by Mario Andretti Foyt Scott Braylon Davy Jones Rich Vogler and rookies Bernard Jourdain. Scon i re Ell and John Jones. Fifteen cars were running at the end. The Only crash besides the bump came on the third Lap. When Kevin Cogan hit the outside Wall on the fourth turn bounced across the track and slammed backward against the inside Wall. His car ricocheted onto Pil Road flipping Over and slamming Sid Wajs into the inside Guardrail. The car was demolished. Cogan was treated at methodist Hospital and released. Japan conquers Cuba Tokyo a Hiroo Ishii smashed a two run Home run and Tatsunori Matsui hit a Solo Homer to Lead Japan s National team to a 4-1 Victory Over the 1988world Amateur Champion cuban team monday in the opener of a five game series before a crowd of 10,000 at the Tokyo dome. The second game is to be Pla de at Seibu stadium outside Tokyo on tuesday. Cuba won the world championships in Italy in 1988, when Japan placed fourth. Berkow from Page 25 said Don t care said Jordan. There is a feeling among some bulls observers thai Jordan who dunks on drives against most teams almost never dunks against the pistons because he s cautious about being Jordan just lays the Ball off the backboard on a drive he still has control of his body. But if he goes up and dunks he s so High that if someone like Mahorn or Laimbeer comes by and gives him a hip he could fall and really do himself with 9 seconds to go in game 3, the scored lied and the Ball in the hands of the pistons , who was at the top of the Circle Here came Laimbeer to pick off the defender Jordan. Now the rules say Laimbeer must establish position so a defender has an Opportunity to go around him. You just can t wipe a Guy out. Thai s what the referee. Bill Oaks be set that pick a thousand times this year Laimbeer said later. More than a thousand times just like thai. This Lime the referee called the was a daring Call in so critical a Momcil. Nonetheless from the replays it looked like an accurate Call. And if in fact this is Roun Dball s version of the forces of darkness against the forces of Light a poetically just one too. The new York times
