European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday May 1, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 25 lakers coach Pat Riley reaches Century Mark in wins. Up red Auerbach Falls to second in playoff standings. Atlantic City . Apr a left uppercut helped persuade Doug Dewitt to hang up his boxing gloves. The defending Champion of the world boxing organization s middleweight class was knocked out by Nigel Benn 44 seconds into the eighth round of a scheduled 12-round bout sunday after being floored twice before in the round. Dewitt said his performance convinced him to retire. I be been in this game a Long time and been in a lot of wars a Dewitt said. A a in be had an up and Down career but in be always Given the people what they came to see and that s  Benn credited his Success to a move to Miami from London nine months ago. He trained with Vic Andreeti a former Junior welterweight Champion. A the reason i lost to Michael Watson was because 1 ran out of Gas a Benn said of a 1989 knockout loss. A i was springing around wasting a lot of Energy and then i had nothing left a he said. A i had to build up my stamina. Even though this fight was fast paced i was comeback passes Torch from Auerbach to Riley by Allan Malamud los Angeles times close but no Cigar red. Red Auerbach no longer owns the record for most National basketball association playoff victories by a coach. He trails Pat Riley 100-99. And done to expect him to catch up. Auerbach age 72, Hasni to coached since 1966. Besides Riley age 45, seems to be getting the Knack of this coaching business. At halftime sunday at the forum in Inglewood calif., the Houston rockets led the los Angeles lakers 65-48, and had just completed a 14-0 run. The Young Pat Riley would have kicked Down the door to the trainers room. He did it in 1982. Or maybe As magic Johnson suggested he would have punched a Hole through the ceiling of the dressing room. At the very least he would have thrown a cup of water against the Wall. Sunday he showed his team Only compassion and film. A i Felt for them a Riley said. A it was the sixth round of a 12-round fight and they were getting their. Whipped. It Wasny to a Lack of Effort. They weren to Fiat. They were simply getting outplayed. Sometimes that happens. They were Hurt and disappointed. The threat of losing the Home court advantage in a Short series creates  he let them look at bits and pieces of the horror film that was the first half and made some adjustments. A there was no spirited oration a Riley said. A it was very x and of oriented. A few years ago i would have embarrassed everybody. Really i would have embarrassed  but this time Pat Ramey embarrassed nobody. The lakers rallied to win 104-100, and their coach emerged with his 100th playoff Victory against 42 losses for a percentage of .704. Auerbach finished his career with 99 victories and 69 losses in the playoffs fora percentage of .589. Riley said he was Happy to have set the record but that his mind now was on Only one thing eliminating the Pesky rockets and advancing to the second round of the playoffs. But maybe it is time to Start comparing Riley with Auerbach. Auerbach closed his career by winning an unprecedented eight consecutive Aba championships with the Boston celtics and nine in his last 10  has coached the lakers to four Aba championships in his eight years. However these numbers do not Tell the entire Story. Its tougher to go All the Way now. Auerbach a celtics had to win Only seven playoff games once eight games seven times and 11 games once to claim the championship in a smaller league. Riley s lakers have had to win 12 games once and 15 games the other three times. Of maybe some of the lakers opponents Haven t in not moving any More than i had  referee Randy Newman following who rules halted the bout when Benn floored Dewitt three times in the eighth. Benn s final Knockdown came from a left uppercut. Earlier Benn dropped Dewitt with a right uppercut and with a left Hook right combination. Benn 26, became 26-1 with 24 knockouts. Dewitt 28, and fighting out of Yonkers n.y., dropped to 327-4 with 19 knockouts. Benn took Quick control of the fight. An unintentional first round head butt opened a Gash along Dewitt a left Eye. Benn then unleashed a string of straight right leads that backed Dewitt into a Comer before the round ended. Dewitt answered by flooring Benn with a left Hook to the Chin Midway through round 2. Benn responded with right hands in round 3 and dropped Dewitt with a right left right combination. Benn s body shots and hand Speed overwhelmed Dewitt until he finished him in the eighth. Been so hot. Throw out his 20-0 record in the first round since the change in format in 1984 and Riley still has a higher winning playoff percentage than Auerbach. The Talent Pool is much bigger now and the distribution More even because of improved scouting techniques. It can also be argued that it was easier for Auerbach to get his players geared for the postseason. A Large percentage of their pay depended on playoff shares. Today the millionaires of pro basketball make their Fortune during the regular season. In comparison their playoff shares Are minuscule. In common Between Auerbach and Riley  Bill Russell and magic Johnson. Russell was the most valuable player of his Era. Magic is the most valuable player of his Era. The coaches Learned How to get the Best out of their stars. Mostly let them do their thing. Once upon a time Paul Westhead installed a structured offence in los Angeles and told the players to do it his Way or no other Way. Magic was among those who led the revolt that Cost Westhead his Job. Riley allows magic and James worthy both of whom have had knee problems to skip practice the Day after games. However magic was not even the most valuable Johnson at the forum for much of the second half sunday. That was Buck Johnson of Houston. Riley had to look for different heroes Byron Scott in the third Quarter and Vlade Divac and Orlando Wool Ridge in the fourth Quarter. Scott scored the first three Points of the second half on a jump shot that got the crowd roaring and the rockets thinking. A Byron was a different person when he came out for the second half a Riley said. Quot he said a the hell with  was confident. He was going to stick it to  Riley s first goal was to Cut the Houston Lead to 10 Points. That took All of 5 minutes and 53 seconds. Scott a jumper made it 72-62. However the rockets refused to Wilt. Houston still led by seven Points when Riley made the first of two important substitutions Divac for . Green with 10 10 left in the fourth Quarter. Divac the Rookie would play the rest of the game. With 9 08 left and the lakers Down by three Wool Ridge replaced worthy. And it was Mychal Thompson not Woolridge who left when worthy quickly returned. The subs were super. A Woolridge steal and a Divac slam Dunk brought the lakers to within 98-97 with 1 43 remaining. Divac and Woolridge combined for 14 of the lakers final 25 Points. A it was a great game won by a great  said Riley a great coach. Soviet boxers bomb . 9-3 Moscow apr world Champion Konstantin Tsuyu of the soviet Union out pointed Terron Millet of St. Louis in their Light welterweight bout As the soviet Union Defeated the United states 9-3 monday in the first match of their current dual series. Bantamweight Sergio Reyes of fort Worth Texas Light middleweight Christopher Byrd of Flint Mich., and Light heavyweight Terry my Groom of Chicago won their bouts. Other americans boxers Are Light flyweight John Herrera of Corpus Christi Texas flyweight Ronald Dunlap of Chicago featherweight Ivan Robinson of Philadelphia lightweight Kevin Childrey of grand rapids Mich. Welterweight Patrick Byrd of Flint Mich. Middleweight Michael Demoss of Camp Lejeune . Heavyweight Javier Alvarez of Austin Texas and super heavyweight Randal Crippen of Wurzburg West Germany